Why does one stop short of accomplishing one's goal. I have come to believe that in running as in life it is hardly ever about reaching the pain or exhaustion threshold. It seems that the mind plays truant with us. It conjures up imaginary pleasures or distractions or even challenges that then start making the activity at hand less meaningful somehow and boom...just an ever so slight diffusing of focus and the subconcious powerhouse that was a friend till now becomes the enemy. The same legs and lungs that were fueling the victory as if have the power cord unplugged from them.
If one is so determined, one has to condition the entire mechanism in the activity mode by re-starting the activity... running in this case and not thinking more about it.
Reboot...
Who presses the reboot button though? The brain, the mind or the intellect. Can we train the intellect to intervene when the mind starts getting distracted. Perhaps that is the difference between a trained runner and an aspiring one. A well trained athlete has a more perceptive intellect that intervenes at the first sign of trouble and resets the tone.
This is awesome Atul. Loved your thought process and your determination to make your fist marathon special.. Just as an FYI, you should know that for a first marathoner having a goal to hit somewhere around the 3 hour mark as opposed to 4.5hr mark itself makes this very very special. The best part is if someone can do it, it is YOU!!
ReplyDeleteI hope I can run along with you and finish my half marathon before you finish your marathon!!
Looking fwd