Don’t listen to the little man
I enjoyed hearing Leah Thorvilson’s “story” at the Conway Running Club meeting last night. I learned a lot about her life and her running experience. The biggest take-away for me was that although you can’t skip training and getting your body ready physically, the final challenge (and often the major one) is the mental challenge. She referred to it as “the little man in your head”. He says things like “I told you that you would get tired at mile 18″, “You need to slow down”, “You can’t keep this pace”, “You should walk”, …
Learning to deal with the little man in your head may be the key to realizing your potential in a race. Be ready to tell him that you are strong, that you feel really good, that this day is your day. There is such a thing as a second wind and the little man does not want you to catch it. You can. For me, I find that I struggle in the “middle miles”. If I am running 8 miles, mile 5-6 are tough. If I am runnnig 13 it’s mile 9 and 10 that are tough. The little man knows how long I am running and when to tell me that I am struggling and that I will not make it.
So, get to know the little man in your head, or whatever you choose to call it, and understand that getting prepared mentally to keep him out of your race is an important part of your overall training. Then go out and put in the miles, do your speed work and hills and long runs and don’t forget your recovery days – and you’ll be all set for your next race.
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She answered the age old question “to drink or not to drink” Many runners say they don’t drink during a race. But Leah said she slows a little at the water stops to get a drink or two in. I was glad to hear it, because I think it is important.