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How to win the hardest part of the race
Been running for a couple of weeks now (seriously anyway) and am convinced that the hardest part of running is not physical but mental.
The only time I can find to run is early in the morning - getting up at 5.30ish for varying distances depending on my schedule. Even though the weather has been pretty appalling lately, I've been quite lucky as at that time of the morning it has been really sunny (maybe we should put the clocks back further so we can have some sort of summer?). Even so, the mental fight I have with myself in the mornings to get out of bed can be agony. I'm pretty good at coming up with excuses to get out of doing things (gardening, housework, socialising with people I don't like...), but the reason I get out of bed is because it's impossible to make up an excuse without knowing your lying. My morning is like a cartoon with a devil and an angel sitting on my shoulders:
Devil: "Stay in bed. Your ankle hurts."
Angel: "Who you trying to kid? It's my ankle too and I know it's fine."
Devil: "Ok, but what about all the rain we've been having?"
*Angel checks the window*
Angel: "It's sunny and warm."
Devil: "Yeah but there might be a large puddle and you'll get your feet wet and then you'll get a cold which may develop into pneumonia or TB.... or EBOLA!."
Angel: "Don't run in puddles then!"
Devil: "What about all the traffic? That's just dangerous."
Angel: "At 5.30 in the morning?"
Devil: "Milk floats are out at this time?"
Angel: "Milk floats drive at 4mph - you run at 7mph... it's not going to be a problem."
Devil: "erm... but what about the tensions in Iran. You never know."
Angel: "You never know what? That Iran might launch a missile at you? That would soon make you run!"
Devil: "But.... erm.... what about.... erm....."
Angel: "Just shut up and get out of bed!"
Devil: "Damn it."
It's at this point that I drag myself out of bed and get my kit on. Whilst the weather is warm and sunny this isn't a problem, but at 5.30 in the middle of January, I'm guessing that the Devil's arguments are going to get a bit more convincing.
The point I'm trying to make is this - when the Devil is whispering in your ear to stay in the warm while it's -2 outside and the wind is lashing the rain against your window, stop making excuses and just remember how good you feel once you've completed the run and you step back through front door into the warm and dry but that little bit fitter than when you left.
Nothing the Devil can say should be able to stop you.
Last edited by m4tty; 10th Jul 08 at 04:18 PM.
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- couldn't agree more - I've always thought that the mental side of running is just as hard as the physical. It takes a special kind of idiot to keep on running
