Using Disassociation to help Running
More training today for the 5k during lunch. I ran the longest duration of my training for the 5k. Yet I- was able to run 20 seconds faster per mile than what I did on Wednesday. (Wasn't even trying to run that fast, was focusing on maintaining a pace!)
I found this article on Running Planet by Rick Morris, really help me stay focus.:
Imagine you are running a 10-mile loop. You are at mile 3 and you begin to feel fatigued. It starts to rain and you're feeling miserable. Off to the right is a nice warm cafe with fragrant, steaming coffee. Your conscious mind tells you that you would be much better off stopping your run and relaxing with a nice cup of hot Joe. So - your body reacts by becoming even more fatigued. That is the power of your brain. But you can use that power for good instead of for the dark side.
There are a number of techniques you can use to harness the power of your mind, including focus and positive thinking. Another is disassociation. There is a great legend you may have heard of involving Tibetan monks. According to this legend, a group of monks ran 300 miles in just 30 hours - a blistering pace of 6 minutes per mile. This story, as reported by an anthropologist, says that the monks performed this unworldly feat by fixating on a distant mountain peak and repeating a mantra with each stride. They disconnected their conscious minds from their body's physical demands and feelings of fatigue.
Read the whole article.
Having a really good running playlist also helps distract from wanting to slow down. Also part of my run goes along the Boston Marathon route, so there's a bit more inspiration.