Mind over matter

I've written quite a lot about running recently, which will not be news to you if you read this blog regularly!

My reason for writing a lot about it is because it is making me think, in a good way, about how I approach things. Mindset is so important for anything and everything we want to do. What we believe, how we act, what we're willing and able to give time to.

Last weekend I challenged myself to do a Garmin challenge of 15km running in one session. I worked with my partner to find a suitable route for the distance, we found a good time for it and off we went.

Prior to this 15km run, the longest I had managed to run without stopping was 11.5km when I did the half marathon in 2018 (mentioned in a previous post about running). My intention for this 15km was:
1) To run further than 11.5km without walking
2) To complete the 15km distance.

On the morning of the run, I prepared, chose what to wear, stretched with some yoga and we set out to our starting point. At this point I chose not to take any water with me for the run. I also couldn't get changed as I had no other clothes with me.

We set out running, did the first 5/6km no problem, then carried on round the loop we'd picked to bring us back to where we'd started. At about 9km I had got very warm and was starting to regret my choice of clothing and lack of water, but I was determined to run more than 11.5km. My legs felt OK, we found a shadier part of the path and carried on. By the point we'd reached around 11km, I was very very warm and starting to struggle, I pushed on and managed to get to 12km without walking - at this point I walked. We were 3km from the finish...

I was a bit dizzy, we walked for about 500m and then I decided there were only 2.5km left so I could do it, and we started running again. When we reached 15km, we were not quite back to our starting point, but because we'd reached 15km, I walked again. About 100m later, I spotted the building which was at the end of the route and back to our starting point.

At this point I got very grumpy with myself for having stopped so close to the finish and started running again, then continued all the way to the end, about 750m later.

So in short, I completed the 15km (and a bit extra), I ran more than 11.5km without walking, and I learned that I'd set the wrong intention at the beginning of the run.

On the way back home, I was reflecting:
"I never actually intended to run 15km... I only intended to run more than 11.5km... once I'd completed it, I walked... Then it was a push to continue on for the last part of the 15km... and then I stopped and walked again, even though we weren't quite at the end and I knew it was nearby..."

By setting the intentions that I had, I managed to complete them, but I still came away frustrated, because I knew, deep down, I could have done more.

So what do we take from this? Do I never run again? Do I beat myself up forever? No, I take what happened, refect on it, learn from it, and use it to set different intentions next time and prepare differently so as to meet the true intention of the activity.

I'm still very proud of what I achieved. 15km is a long way! It was hot and it was a longer distance that I've done for quite a long time. I had completed the Garmin challenge like I wanted!

There is another Garmin 15km challenge this month, which I'm intending to do. The weather is getting warmer, so I know now what clothing to wear (and what to avoid) and that I will need to train with water. Knowing this, I can take steps to make sure that this is achieveable.

I now have a means of easily taking water on a run, I already have suitable clothing  so nothing new needed there, then the last bit is setting the intention.

This time, I intend to run 15km. I intend to run as much as I am physically able to do from start to finish by running with water and in suitable clothing. I intend to keep going until the finish, not until 15km is reached. Let's see what happens.

So now, Dear Reader, you are probably thinking "So what?"

Well, now, I invite you to think about situations you've been in recently where you completed something but still came away frustrated.
- What were your intentions ahead of the situation?
- Had you set an intention at all?
- What would you do differently if you were to be in that situation again?  
- How would you set your intention to make sure you came away feeling satisified?

Intentions drive behaviours. If you want to do something and if you intend to do it then you will find a way to achieve your intention. Mind over matter is important because if you believe you are able to do something, you are so much more likely to acheive it. Your brain is an amazing thing, if you use it well, it will serve you and you will be amazed at the things you achieve.

Mind over matter, give it a try!

Edit: I did the same run a week later, set the intention to run the whole way, planned clothing and water and I smashed it :D It's now the longest I've ever run in one go without stopping! And I got a 10K PB as well! Setting the right intention works!