That may very well be one of the first phrases that I learned as a kid. It will certainly go down in the history books of Hummeldorf as the most used phrase my dad has probably said in his lifetime. It is unequivocally the first and strongest thing that I hear in my head when I am stuck in some sort of uncharted territory and need to get out quick. It’s my personal hug when I’m feeling a little down and need something quick to snap back into the reality of who I am and who I was raised to be. It’s almost my own reminder to never give up, never let your guard down too much, and always stand ready for the next turn …
It’s also the biggest takeaway that I got from tonight’s Team In Training seminar in preparation for the marathon in (*gasp*) less than two weeks… Here are a few pointers that we got from an awesome Sports Psychologist at UC Davis:
1. Thoughts lead to attitudes which lead to behaviors. Remember to have positive thoughts throughout your training (insert: life) because everything will build on this…
2. Rest, Fuel, Hydration, & Preparation: did you know that to properly hydrate, you need to start drinking your water and electrolytes 3-4 days before the race? The water/sports drink that you are drinking 3-4 days ago is what is actually in your cells today.
3. TRUST –> This training process began in the middle of January. That’s 5 months of training. One of the strongest things to keep you motivated and at peace is to remember that you’ve been training for this one day – these few hours, for 5 months. It is crucial to trust that a) the coaches taught you well, b) you listened to the coaches, and c) you did everything that you needed to in order to prepare and perform for this marathon. Trust your training and trust yourself.
4. Remember your long-term goals and objectives. This marathon will be an accomplishment to each runner, but even bigger than that, it will be an accomplishment of THOUSANDS and MILLIONS of people across the world that have come together to help get one step closer to finding a cure for cancers. I’ve been running with my new friends, Erica and Julie, and we are constantly joking when we start to feel the strain (you know, toward the 10th, 15th, and 17th miles …) “Cancer. Cancer! We’re doing this for cancer!!!” But all jokes aside – we are doing this for Cancer. We are doing this to end Cancer. We’re doing this so that we don’t have to loose anyone else, or watch anyone else we love suffer from fighting so hard.
5. Act “As If.” Or, as it was paraphrased: fake it til you make it. Carry yourself as if you have already crossed that finish line. Act as if you have already been welcomed back into the real world by your friends and family with hugs, tears, laughter, and salutations. Envision yourself telling everyone that you’ve run a marathon and raised thousands of useful dollars to fund cancer research for countless patients.
Several times tonight I had to fight back my tears in front of the rest of my teammates. I’ll share that for another post this week though. I honestly cannot believe that we are only 10 days away from the Rock ‘N’ Roll San Diego Marathon.
I. Am. Pumped.
LOVE,
Mae
jimae 