So much of what I'm doing right now to build my fitness, lose weight, develop greater endurance, and fix old and painful injuries is in the mind. And so much of it I do (despite my last post saying you can't do it alone) is on my own.
The whispers in my head, the little demons, the doubts as well as the loneliness at times builds resilience, but at times it's not easy. This means getting my head in the right place and staying on top of my thinking for achieving what I'm training for.
Comfortable in your own skin
One thing I've noticed is that I'm spending so much time on my own with training, researching, etc. I'm fortunate to have a good friend nearby to do the hiking stretches with (he's training to walk the same 100km route on the same date), however I'm ever increasing my running and that I'm doing alone.
I've chosen not to find a running partner or club at this stage. I'm a social person but I need to follow my path and programme at my rate of progress. Running is one of those things that is easy to quietly run at your partner's/group's pace. That will not work for me. I know that subconscious competitor in me will come up, go all 'alpha' and push too hard.
This is about running my challenge. Not race. This means spending time alone. Eating the way I need to eat. Running, stretching, strength workouts, going to bed. It can get a bit lonely week after week and this is where it strengthens the mind.
I recall when I hiked the challenge a couple of years ago, and went through the night section entirely alone. I didn't see another competitor for hours. It was pitch black. Just me, my head torch, my music and my thoughts. I was sick, I was sore, I was sleep deprived, I was dehydrated, I had bad guts, and i was mildly hallucinating at one point (was hearing my name being called a couple of times). I couldn't call anyone as it was the middle of the night, and I couldn't talk to anyone. That was difficult, but you just push on. Those are moments when you go back to those hundreds of hours of training alone. You have to do them. You have to train your head as well as your body. As I mentioned about the 'demons and the doubters' in a previous post, you have to clear your thoughts and carry on with your journey.
My not-so-secret weapons
The thing that gets me through those lonely stretches is music. Good old fashioned dance music especially. The emotive kind that lifts the soul, has a rhythm and cadence i can move my feet to. My Spotify playlist is rather epic, and you can check it our here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1BiaLpC2tDZhv8s3nAuyAh?si=5768633657194eba
That said I also take moments where I ground myself. Simply get present with where I am and look around. Take it in and breathe. I get to train and explore some beautiful terrain and some of the views are stunning. I find when I take those moments in, I feel better about being on my own in this, and get back to the 'why' I'm doing it in the first place. It's easy to become lost in the task, and miss sight of where you are in everything. It becomes a little esoteric, but it makes such a difference when you take a little time to connect from your body to the world around. The pain eases, the mind quiets, and you find the will you need to keep moving. Thank you for reading.
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