July- 2 months until marathon

 

JULY CHECK IN WITH INTENTIONS: It has been a downside of this year for the first half that I have not been writing/blogging. I blame some of my health/energy issues and also I wonder if the reverse is also true- that writing keeps me unraveling my mind and creating energy.  I am committed to writing (for myself) for the 2nd half of the year. 

For now:

We are now a week into July.  I have 2 months until Kauai Marathon, and I just tanked a long run last Saturday.  Admittedly, the weather conditions were difficult. With a “feels like” temp that day of up to 110, I woke up at 4, got out the door at 5 and had a 20 miler planned/ hoped to be home and celebrating the success of a long run by 8am.

Well, first off: I got used to finishing my past months long runs successfully.  So, this made me fall into a way of thinking that of course things would go as expected and I could just decide how this 20 miles would go and when I’d be home and be lazy in my mind with not doing the WORK and mental preparation of a long run. It isn’t just the racing my that takes mental prep.  It is the training as well, and I failed to do that.  I planned all the other things, the route, the hill repeats, the hydration and fuel to bring. And the weather may have made things more difficult, but I am convinced that the real issue I ran into that day was a mind that wasn’t prepared.

I wasn’t solid in my conviction that: long runs aren’t just a given- they don’t all happen successfully, they are a HUGE thing. I trivialized it in my mind and took it for granted. I hadn’t mentally prepared for the FACT that it will always be the MIND that keeps the BODY going. There will ALWAYS be pain in a long run of 18 and beyond. And, have you practiced the tools that it takes to keep going. The mantras that align with the footsteps that say, “You will not stop” with every footstep, even if this needs to go on for ½ mile to 1 mile. What is the plan when things get soggy and when even your mental resilience feels water logged/sweat soaked and lazy. I literally felt like I had a “mushy mind” last Saturday- I had no grit worked up to fight with the monkey on my back telling me to take a minute to walk.  I had no plan for: if I have to walk- what is it? 60 seconds or less than NO NEGOTIATING.  I hadn’t instilled the discipline to not negotiate when things inevitably are uncomfortable.

And now I’m aware, I learned my lesson.  I’m doing the work.

The planning of the mental preparation- not just for the main event- the race itself…. But for the real main event:  the JOURNEY THERE. The training is really always the main event, and I cannot just wait until race day to be a force in my mind.

The workouts that go south are ALWAYS the ones that really drive the learning and progress, and I’m ready and listening and doing the work to up my game. I was disappointed on Saturday. Now, I’m more motivated.  I won’t cut things short.  I will do all of the mental preparation, I will spend the time with legs up the wall, I will not cut short any of the foam rolling, mobility/activation work. I will respect the summer and all the sweat and do electrolytes daily.

Perhaps most of all, I will be very clear in my GOALS. As last year- this is not a race to have a time goal. Going through these hills in Kauai is a different game than others- and my goal is the TRAINING- get as FIT AND STRONG AS I CAN IN NEXT 2 months so that I have the best chance to work my way in whatever forward movement it takes, KNOWING that there will be walking, and that there will be again, tremendous mental discipline to stay positive, to know I have done my best, to not doubt myself, and to have an aloha heart of gratitude and respect for the land I am covering 26.2 on. I am the LUCKIEST to get to live this dream and I will honor it by the FULL work- mind and body that a marathon preparation truly deserves.