THE 55 DAY CHALLENGE - MIND POWER

Maintaining a positive and focussed headspace is vitally important to achieving success in our endeavours. I reckon its about 20% effort and 80% attitude and if the attitude is right then the 20% hardly feels like an effort at all (OK remind me of that when my long training runs are 2 hours for the last 7 weeks of my HM training LOL).

Self help gurus have promoted this through every medium imaginable in ways that are too many to mention. I'm sure that every one of you (my readers) would have read at least one - if not several - self help books. But how many times do we read them, have a lightbulb moment, only to have it to go out once we're back in the routine of life. I can firmly put my hand up as being guilty of this. Read lots. Thought about it lots. Acted ... well not much really.

But lately I've actively gone about changing this. I'm not talking about a massive swing to some wierdly extreme bahaviours, just a better understanding of what drives us / me, how to harness it, how to banish negative thoughts and embrace positive self talk. Its been a gradual process and apart from the last couple of weeks when I couldnt be arsed about it, its been working well. (Even more evidence that if you work at it, it works!!)

Take this morning for example. I was doing my second sprint training session for the week. I felt ok but a couple of days on lower carbs (I'll rectify this) and I was just plain SLOW. Attempting 2 mins out and 2 mins back at 80% effort with the goal being to get back to the exact start point, I was short of the mark every time. In fact on my 4th and last effort I was well short of the half way mark as well, let alone the start point. Runkeeper told me my speed and I just cringed as it was only a little over my training run speeds when I'm running well.

So the negative thoughts came thick and came fast. "You're too slow." "Oh this is too hard." "Why even bother to lose weight for the HM, you're going to be really slow anyway". And then I found myself planning my little junk food party as part of my commiserations. Oh boy for a few minutes there I was on a downward slide.

But then I realised what I was doing and pulled myself up on it and forced myself to stop that thought process. Yes I'd report in to Pat that today's sprints were slow but that was my 80% effort on that day at that time. I reminded myself that when I run the race this year, I'm running it as a different person to what I was a year ago. I may well be slower but 7 months ago I couldnt run at all. Hey lets look at all the positives!!

When my headset changed and I switched back to being positive I knew that I didnt need or want the junk food party any more. I was looking forward to a day of eating well and honouring my body so that it would return the favour when I asked it to run for 1 hour tomorrow.

Dont underestimate the power of the mind and the important role it plays in achieving the big hairy arsed goals as well as everyday peace and happiness. You can think, plan and come up with a kick arse diet and training program but if the mind's not on board ... you're fighting an uphill battle.

I'd love to hear your tricks and trade secrets for harnessing your mind power and how thats helped you achieve what you're after.

Cheers

M