Would you believe me if I told you I've lost all confidence in my running since the St George Marathon a couple weeks ago? Would you also believe me if I told you that last week I actually drove to the gym, parked my car, and then drove home without even getting out of my car?
My slow time in St George along with the usual recovery time has led to bad running. And I can guarantee that 89% of that is mental. Why you as? Because I hear in my head thoughts of "you are not as fast as you once were" or "you're still recovering from the marathon, go ahead and skip a run today" or my favorite "your running really sucks, so why try?" Dan Schaefer, Ph.D., a performance specialist teaches his clients that gaining a competitive edge starts in the mind. He taught that while running, your mind can only hold three thoughts, so use those thoughts to focus on improving your running.
My fastest marathon had me thinking positive thoughts to myself. I repeated over and over to myself how great I was doing, how fast my feet and legs were moving, and how I was setting a new PR. And I did!
Last night I went to the gym and ran 30 minutes worth of intervals. I pushed myself harder than I have in months. I may not have ran as fast as the guy next to me (and I know this because it was my husband next to me!) But I set my mind to accomplish 30 minutes of intervals. I did it, and tonight I'm going to do it again. Thats what can happen when you put your mind to something!
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