Thursday 20 October 2011

Lost Motivation

Since I started doing marathons and more I've never struggled for motivation, never struggled to get on with long sessions, thriving from the fact I'd been doing them and always getting better and better. I remember running through the town at 5am last winter on a Sunday morning having missed some night out and watching a couple walk home from the Saturday night because Sunday was the only morning I could fit in a 4hr day on the trail. Not at one point was I thinking 'why am I doing this?' I was just so pumped to get myself in to the best possible shape for last years 3 marathons in 3 days. I remember when I was so pumped to run a sub 3hr marathon that when at only 13miles I was thinking I cant keep this pace going instead of slowing I gritted the teeth and pushed on to such an extent that tears were running down my face in the last few miles and once I crossed the line in 2hrs 59!! I was collapsed like a fool trying to convince St.Johns ambulance that I didn't need a wheelchair. That effort was down to pure determination and motivation to do something that 4 years ago I thought was not possible at all! I loved it.

From that high I decided to do a 50mile running event only 5 weeks later. So hardly rested after pushing myself beyond breaking in the marathon but I was still motivated as mentally I was buzzing from the marathon. I read the other day, Paula Radcliffe saying after a marathon she takes 3 complete weeks off, and that's a pro athlete doing that so looking back it was too much with the level I'd pushed myself for the marathon.

Completed the 50mile in fifth place in 7hours 45mins to even more agony than the marathon. Literally twice the pain.

If I wasn't so competitive and just did these events for fun not to the ultimate max then it's easy to do all the time. Honestly think just 'doing' a marathon, half marathon is easy, it's doing it to your limit that takes it out of you. Notice that the people who do serious distance events almost weekly are not that fast at all (except for a few amazing athletes, but that's why they are amazing athletes) for two reasons, they either don't push themselves to the max, which is absolutely fine as they just do it for 100% enjoyment or don't get that much faster because they are never in recovery mode.

Either way there is nothing wrong with it but personally I do these events because I want to be the fastest, fittest that I can mixed in with the fact that I love training.

However in the last two months I've really struggled. I've lost all my motivation and training has become a chore more often than not. All I want to do is train how I want, when I want, socialise aka enjoy the weekends and just keep myself healthy for a good couple months then after the new year look forward to the Ironman, the only big event I'm going to do next year. After the 50mile I should have rested up and just enjoyed keeping myself healthy until 2012 but for some reason I'm doing the 3 marathons again this year! I've hardly put the work in for it but keep trying to force myself to as I've got that 'time' from last years event in the back of my mind. Physically I can do it, just do it slow but mentally I cant hack putting my body through some obscene levels of pain again so soon after the last. Especially another running event, it's one reason why I cant wait for the new year and a new goal in an Ironman.

Last weekend is a good example for me of how we are all sometimes guilty of over worrying about stuff like this which at the end of the day are not that important. There only important to yourself. My sister completed her first half marathon in just under 3hrs, she was chuffed and for once I decided to watch the slower runners coming in and seeing how happy everyone towards the back were at getting to the line was amazing. Then there was me hanging my head because I'd run 4mins outside of my 1.19 PB - not just me, most of people around me hardly looked happy as again all too often we put too much pressure on are selves. At the end of the day I was in the top 100 of a 15,000 field and was disappointed. It's rather pathetic if I put it in to perspective.

I actually enjoyed the event more than anything in a while as I'd barely thought about times or anything until I was at the start line and just enjoyed the whole day and atmosphere which made it great! Too often I am so pumped with time goals that I don't really enjoy the day. Looking back I didn't enjoy the London Marathon at all, not because it isn't amazing, it is! It's probably the greatest event around, 26 miles with not one section with no support and the city taken over by runners and supporters who are doing something brilliant. On top of that the people you meet are awesome, everyone so outgoing. I was so focused on the sub 3hr that it almost killed me on the day and didn't allow me any time to take in the day and mix with people - Saying a sub 3hr marathon is something I always wanted so amazingly happy with it but it does take over. One day I'm going to do a marathon in fancy dress and just be there purely for the fun of the day. That's when I was hugely motivated, I'll get that back but I need a rest.

It's strange how someones mentality can determine how hard you train. Mentally I'M NOT at the races at the moment, I'm burned out and wonder what to do about the three marathons. Maybe I'll just do it as one last thing but just take it easy and enjoy the day, I know mentally that will put me in a better place instead of stressing about doing well in it. Just enjoy the experience now that I've paid for the entry.

Tough week mentally. Time to rest

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Psychology's role in Endurance Sport

I'm no sports psychologist and to be fair know very little about it but I'm adamant that a persons mental state plays as much if not more of a role than a persons fitness and general conditioning for endurance events.

To start with I know guys who are in better shape than I am but would no way even attempt a big endurance event. They know it's going to push them to hell and beyond and that's before your body has started to cramp up or hurt so much that it's begging for you to stop moving! I read somewhere that you as the person is both the solution and the problem. I think this is true, You've either got it or you haven't. If you haven't you don't even think about some silly challenge, but if you have got the state of mind then it's all you think about. When one things completed, achieved, not long after theres always need for something else. It's just the way it is.

I sometimes wonder why does one person of a similar fitness level to the next think something is impossible whilst the next will think it's totally possible?

Personally I just tell myself weeks out, this is going to hurt like hell but mentally I prepare myself for the pain and suffering and when it comes cope with it best I can, with just one rule don't stop moving unless it's absolutely got to a horrendous stage :) Every time I do a big endurance sport I mentally get stronger, I start thinking about how fast I could do something, or I wonder if I could do X or Y?

To sum it up I'm decent at running far, ok on the bike but none existent at swimming, I've never done a triathlon and haven't been in the pool for over 18months yet I've just gone and entered an Ironman. Granted I'm not doing it from scratch but it's out of my comfort zone so is hard, probably the most challenging event I've done to date.

Anyway that's 11 months away so once Xmas is out the way that will be the main goal. For now I've got three marathons in 3 days coming up along the coastal path which is going to be tough but physically I know I can do it as I did it last year. So know it changes to a mental challenge, how much can I push myself to finish as high up the leader board and improve on my 4th place last year? That's probably up to what sort of mental state I'm in, I'll have prepared myself mentally as well as physically by pushing myself to the limit in training, as strange as it sounds to just practicing suffering so that come race day I'm ready.

All in all as much as to do well in these events/challenges/races you have to be in fantastic physical shape, i'f your goal is just to finish something, regardless of how long it takes then if your mrntal state is good then theres no reason why you can't achieve something that you can only imagine possible at the moment.