The Mentality Behind the Miles
Running possesses a strange allure.
The cadence of your footfalls on the pavement, grass or trail. Ragged breaths, rhythmically filling the air, the painful yet rewarding struggle to maintain some sort of calculated breathing even as you feel the air searing the inside of your lungs. Your mind becomes tuned into each step; you notice the physical stretch and retraction of the muscles running up the course of your leg.
There is no competition, except for yourself and the clock which ticks away, taunting you to shave off those precious five seconds. The final gasp as you reach the end, how you can feel the dull ache of your muscles as you drag yourself back into the rest of the day.
The real beauty of running comes with the mental break it provides as well as the gradual endurance you gain. There’s a reward that comes in how each day imperceptibly gets just a bit easier, until you find yourself logging mile after mile.
Once your stride begins, the world fades away and there ceases to be anything but a mind numbing stretch of just your body, its limits (or lack thereof), and the beauty of the world surrounding you.
However, what happens when your mind becomes the enemy? What about when you finally plateau and hit the infamous yet dreaded runner’s mental block?
Even practiced runners struggle with overcoming the mental aspect of running. Becca Friday, a freshman at the University of Texas, who has been running for five consecutive years and has tackled several half marathons, provided some key insights into how to overcome your brain when it comes to running.
“The hardest part about running is all mental. Our bodies are so capable of running and training, however the mind seems to convince us otherwise,” Friday said. “I know my body can handle it, but my mind is always the biggest enemy.”
Friday’s words reiterate the idea that long before you begin to train your body to endure the physical strain constant running requires, you must adopt a specific type of mental toughness.
“Running takes focus, motivation, physical strength and endurance,” Friday said.
She emphasized how it is key to identify why exactly you are running. Are you attempting to shave off a certain amount of seconds? Make it to a certain mileage? Simply get your body to a healthier state? Whatever the case, writing the goal down and reminding yourself of it prior to setting off on a run allows you to orient your brain on your objective, which tends to increase motivation.
Finding accountability is another way to fend off the dreaded mental block. One of Friday’s go-to methods happens to be social media, in the form of her health and fitness account, @sweetlyfull.
“Posting my workouts and progress on my Instagram story helps to keep me accountable and reaching for my next goal,” Friday said.
While that may not be for everyone, incorporating other people into your workout routine is another way to motivate yourself.
“Finding a workout buddy or simply telling another person about your goals is so helpful,” Friday said. “Set a time and a place and you’ll be forced to show up and get the run done because you have a physical human acting as your accountability. The social support is also comforting.”
UT freshman Maya Ditges, whose love for long distance running began just this year, utilizes another tactic when approaching a lack of motivation or mental block.
“I always remember this quote my old track coach used to say: ‘Do it for those who can’t,’” Ditges said.
She talked about how she uses her sheer gratitude for her ability to physically run as her motivator.
“I want to take advantage of my good health while I can,” Ditges said. “I remind myself to push harder and accomplish my goals I have set that others also might have but can’t achieve because of ailments. My tip for others would be to find a quote or another person to inspire you and then dedicate your run to that quote or person.”
It can be easy to hear about the mental fortitude, consistency and pain running demands and balk at the mere idea of it. However, what you reap is worth the cost. Although the physical changes and benefits are typically what people crave and appreciate, there are so many other rewards to be had when it comes to running.
“Running helps me combat my worries and find my zen for the rest of the day.” Friday said. “By pushing myself physically, I’m able to prepare for other mental and social challenges. Outdoor running in particular helps me feel connected to the ground beneath me and sort of acts as a meditation.”
Something about each footfall you take on a trail helps you be in tune with the world around you; the world we oftentimes forget to stop and look at when the hustle and bustle of life ensnares us. Next time you find yourself struggling to tackle that next mile, tap into that well of determination, grit and mental endurance that we each possess but tend to forget.
Art by Carissa Georgelos