Tag: mind

  • Engaging your mind 3: Toughness

    An exercise to get your mind right for the Comrades Marathon Accept that its going to get tough out there. It is going to get tough. Accept that. Facing up to and going through the effort is what ultra-running and Comrades is about. Unless you run way behind what you could be doing, it’s unlikely…

  • Engaging your mind 2: Fear

    Another exercise to get your mind right for the Comrades Marathon Write down the things that worry you. List them. Externalise them. Get them out of you. That way they don’t gnaw at, give you sleepless nights, undermine you. Then take time to understand them. Fears are not a sign of a moral failing, or…

  • Engaging your mind

    An exercise to get your mind right for the Comrades Marathon Visualisation – making it concrete Get a profile or map of the route. You can look at a the small one on the the official Comrades website http://www.comrades.com/Route/Route-Map.aspx or a more detailed one at mapmyrun.com  at http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2640629.  You also can rely on your memory if you’ve run it…

  • Fear

    You can call it Fear. It’s more. It’s the real you, the you that has to do the hard miles, asking the ego-you that one that likes to talk and dream and take chances: Are you doing the right things now? Do you have the right run-day plan? Can you handle a hilly 87 km…

  • Mind matters

    As I go out now to get more miles in my legs, my mind turns to the Big Day. The good thing is that the agony comes later in the run. I’ll start happy. Let the hanging-in creep up, take over the closer to the end the better. After Polly Shorrts is okay. Please!

  • The Mystery of Training

    Ultra-training is mysterious. Books, magazines, websites, gurus at the running club who have been to the Oracles Beyond 42.2 km, Beyond 50 miles, 100 miles or To Infinity might have programs or training ideas. None are wrong. All are mysterious. Training programs Comrades training is no different. The interpretations of the Oracle of Comrades Many…

  • Agitation

    Agitation:stomach*mind*knees. Nice these taper days, running perfectly but I wish I could have done more. Ok, ok no matter how much I did I would wish the same. But this 8k is so easy man, and only 11 of these on Comrades day. Easy! <choke COUGH> At least I don’t wish that I should have…

  • Flush legs

    Three Sundays from now I’ll be peeing on a dry bush at the bottom of Fields Hill, maybe someone’s toes. Getting agitated. Flushed legs with 20 min gym cycle this morning, electrolyte cap, lots of water. Didn’t that do wonders? Now the strain on the ITB that Jody the torture-massager said I needed to stretch…

  • The Perfect Distance … part 2

    Part 2 of  Facet 2 of what makes the Comrades Marathon an ultimate run First, more of the feeling on crossing the Comrades finish line.  With relief and achievement comes: a marvellous affirmation of all that you dared, all that you did, all you prepared, all you endured; acknowledgement that you campaigned and survived; a…