The dark place: I love it and I hate it. Actually, I’m not sure if that statement is true. I mean, both of those words are pretty strong. Perhaps a more fitting sentiment is that I’m fascinated with the dark place. Yes, that is statement I can stand behind. Wow!
The dark place is a byproduct of the extreme, rearing its head when things get out of sorts. As runners, we experience it in racing and sometimes while training. To be clear, I don’t go to the dark place everyday. I don’t even go to the dark place every race. It is not defined merely by the presence of pain, fatigue, or discomfort. If that were the case, I could say that I’ve been to a lot of dark places. The dark place is much more unique.
"You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have"- Bob Marley. A reflection of what it means to be mentally tough and resilient, to have that inner voice that will tell you to push one more time and not give up!
While running long distances, and possibly for everything else, there seems to be a distinct relationship between physical ability and mental focus. Even if you do all the right training, if your head isn't in it, it's over before you start.
I believe - What you think affects how you run, or as Henry Ford says, If you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. So, to manage the energy in your body, you need to manage the energy in your head. Certainly there are many variables that determine how well you run. But, if the weather is right, your nutrition is dialed in, and you have done all the right training, then it comes down to the games you play on your mind's court.
When I race, my self-competitive fire prevents me from holding back, and I have a tendency to run myself into the ground. In some cases, encountering these dark corners of my mind has forced me to give up and walk (e.g., in my first long trail runs), and in other cases I have been able to face them and persevere (e.g., in most of the half marathons that I have run).
For me, a half marathon is a lot like the wrestling analogy referred to above. It's rare that I run a half marathon and not feel the overwhelming desire to simply stop running in the last km, but to date I have not succumbed to this urge, and this is something that I take great pride in. I may not win the race against the other runners, but by finishing strong I win the race against myself, and this is really what’s most important.
For some reason the thought of the mental “dark place” has really stuck with me. So now, when I’m out on the road or trails, my plan is to welcome it, and to embrace it. In fact, I did this very thing on my trail run this past weekend – I went out and ran 15km in the beautiful trails of Troodos Mountains in just under 2hours. I found my “dark place” right around km 10 but when I got there, rather than succumbing and bailing since I was running solo, my response was: “bring it on.” I finished strong, and the adrenaline rush that came over me when I reached my driveway was intense – I was satisfied and happy. I had pushed my limits for no other reason than to see if I could, and on this day I succeeded.
It’s only in competition and at events that these incidents happen. Yes, you can have tough training sessions surrounded by your friends and push one another, but nothing matches the adrenaline and stress of competition. Only in battle can you truly test your will. They say that iron sharpens iron, but I would rather think of it as the metal of the sword strengthening the mettle of your will.
I believe that only at the limits of your physical capacity can you ever really learn about yourself and grow. When every cell inside you screams to quit, but your mind forces then to keep going, in that moment you will find out more about yourself than any self-help book could ever teach you.
I’ll leave you with this – the next time you encounter one of those dark places on a run, don’t give up. Instead, simply force yourself to smile, nod your head, and run right through it.
Trying to succeed as an athlete when you’re afraid to do anything that isn’t ‘safe’ will lead to unfulfillment, complacency, and ultimately, a premature end to your sporting ambitions. If you want to realize a level of achievement and mental toughness you currently don’t have, you need to embrace experiences you currently don’t thrive in.
Mental toughness for runners is one of the most prized mental skills we can develop. With proper techniques and practice, the mental aspects of the sport can elevate your running to new heights.
Just consider, what was the last time you felt uneasy about your running?
Mental strength is the intangible, invisible power that will get you through all those situations and keep you pushing, thriving, and excelling toward your biggest goals.
It hurts so badly that you must stop. But you don't stop. This time, you ignore that voice, you tune out the naysayers who've told you that you're not good enough, not strong enough, not made of the right stuff, and you listen only to the passion within your heart. That burning desire tells you to keep moving forward, to continue putting one foot in front of the other no matter what. Courage comes in many forms, and running demands the courage to keep trying and to not give up regardless of how dire things become.
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better".
That means if you ever plan on reaching your potential as a human being, you need to deliberately find things that scare the crap out of you. Each time you stretch the mind and teach it to endure, to
suffer, and to overcome, you’ll be learning about yourself and growing as a result.
"Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see".
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