Marathon Brian’s next Challenge to me is ….start working on making myself mentally stronger! Build mental strength. Build mental strength. So, what he is NOT saying, but what he IS insinuating is this: ….Girl, – to run, jog, walk, limp, crawl 26.2 miles….You’re Gonna Need It! <GULP>. Yes, Sir! I’ll put that on my list. Like, Right NOW!
So how do you go about Building Mental Strength anyway? When I asked Marathon Brian this very question, his answer bugged me. Yuck. Blech. “Try running without your iPod”, he said. <Talk to the Hand!!> Out of my Cold dead fingers!! You know the saying.
At first I wretched back like he asked for my first-born child …(who is now a 16-year-old teenage girl with all THAT brings, so… I might have given her over…but NOT my iPod!) Not Snow Patrol, and TheScript, and Adele, and ColdPlay. Say it ain’t so!!
Hey Diane…you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do…but maybe, just maybe Marathon Brian is trying to teach you something here that will pay off in the long run. Think about it. Ok, Ok, I’ll think about it. A lot. Cuz now you’ve rocked my boat and my world!
Once I calmed myself down, and got my heart beating back on a normal rhythm, it dawned on me that I’ve already run without my iPod, because I didn’t use it when I do my Intervals runs. Huh, how bout that. With Intervals, it’s an active engagement with the treadmill. You’re busy watching the distance monitor and scaling the speed control up and down as needed. And during the sprints, you’re busy running from the dog, and , well, trying to breathe. Then during the recovery, you’re busy…er recovering and trying to breathe some more….and maybe squeeze in some sips of Vitacoco once you get your breath back. Adding the complexity of an iPod, and something else to focus on, and fiddle with…..Nah. It’s distracting rather than helpful. So I can see this being the case during Intervaks…but how does one run, I mean just do straight runs of miles….without…an..i..Pod…GULP? I asked Marathon Brian, er….what do you think about when you are running 6 miles? 12 miles? 15 miles? (Holy!!) His answer was, “Everything, and sometimes Nothing. ” WOW, I’m. not. sure .what. to. make .of. that.
So, Operation “No iPod” is about to commence. As I prepare to begin this next challenge, I have soooo many unanswered questions. I start out on this new path knowing only one significant thing, with all my heart and soul……..and here it is: When you are alone with your thoughts….what you think MATTERS!
and Here we go….
Ciao for now…..Diane