A Mental Game

I may have mentioned this before, like all other runners, about how much running is so mental. This week was not the most pleasant training week for a number of reasons.

First off, I am completely stressed out and have been trying to use yoga and running to "ease" the stress if that is at all possible (my stress has been significantly reduced due to a most recent event yesterday, which I will share when some things are confirmed). Secondly, my shorter runs have been terrible. When I started training for this marathon, I wanted work on the speed of my runs, but this week just didn't cut it. Finally, I keep having flashbacks of my 14 mile (my distance this weekend) run in January: horrible knee pain, frigid weather, and a lack of drive.

With this unmanageable stress, terrible runs and a mental mosaic of flashbacks, how was it going to be possible to stay positive about my 14 mile run on Saturday? In preparation I tried to eliminate all the bad feelings and think positively. It seemed impossible and pretty much was. I just decided to accept that this run was going to be a bad one.

And guess what? IT WAS! I mentally blocked myself from having a good run. I made it impossible. Of course, I don't realize any of this until I have finished and was thinking about why it was so terrible. It was hot and I didn't hydrate well enough the day before. That's all. There weren't bad omens out to get me. I did it to myself.

Now let me clarify. It was not near as bad as my run in January. I love running in Overland Park in the mornings because of the wonderful shade that it provides, so I really can't complain about the heat.  Maybe when I run 14 miles again, I won't psych myself out.

The 8 miles this weekend won't be too bad, even though I have to do it by myself before I head out for a wonderful bachlorette weekend with my girlfriends at the lake.  And I know 16 miles the following weekend will be great, because my last 16 was strong (well, actually I don't remember specifically, but only 14 shines out as terrible in my memory thankfully).

Sometimes I think I am a mental basket case.  At least we have surpassed the unlucky number of 14.