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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Art of Mental Maintenance


It’s a headline I have poached from today’s newspaper, where it is an article  about the importance of the mental make up of the Olympic athletes, and the importance of creative visualization, in order to maximize their talent.

I spent the entire summer without running, under the guise of my learning to swim, awaiting the monsoon.

Now that the monsoon is here, rain is scarce! Anyway, now its too late for me to look for any more excuses not to run, I just need to get my act together and START!
Same time last year, when we are one month after we have registered and committed to the event, I was in peak training, running half marathons regularly, with ease. And this year, I almost registered for the half!  My hands trembled when I had to tick the box saying 42.096kms.

Running the marathon for the first time, is a test to prove that I can do it – physically.
To run it for the second time is a mental game, where I need to forget the experience of the first and start afresh.

As we become experienced marathoners, we learn.
The importance of pacing the run right was the highlight of my race last year. I ran at one constant pace and did not flounder.

This year however, I think I want to go for it!
Push , like I have done never before, and will cross train extensively with that. I have learnt this from Santa, a 60 year - young fellow runner, who has moved into a whole new league with his dedication with running and cycling.

Discipline and motivation are the two factors which I will need to keep within range and blank out all the rest.

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” 

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