Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Did it!
Well after my fear I managed to do alright and complete the whole session without cutting short any of the run sections. Because my run sections are now more than a couple of minutes, I realise I have to break the fixation with checking my watch to see how much time I have to go. The early very short runs have led to be basically counting down the time (Are we there yet?) - a habit I am now trying to break.
I read an article in a magazine about visualisation and using chants and mantras to create a rhythm to keep going. I tried it, but the positive ones (I-am-too-strong-to-stop) didn't work at all. I just didn't find myself believable. Too strong? If I was too strong then would I be wheezing up a lung after running 4 minutes in a row?
What did work was self-abuse. "You are pathetic. I can't believe that you checked your watch just then. Are you really so puffed after 4 minutes that you want to give up? You big baby. You looked at it again!! You only ran for 30 seconds that time. What kind of loser can't run for 30 seconds without begging to stop?" It worked very well and I shamed myself into not stopping.
As stupid as this sounds, I am pretty proud that I jogged for a total of 16 minutes last night.
I read an article in a magazine about visualisation and using chants and mantras to create a rhythm to keep going. I tried it, but the positive ones (I-am-too-strong-to-stop) didn't work at all. I just didn't find myself believable. Too strong? If I was too strong then would I be wheezing up a lung after running 4 minutes in a row?
What did work was self-abuse. "You are pathetic. I can't believe that you checked your watch just then. Are you really so puffed after 4 minutes that you want to give up? You big baby. You looked at it again!! You only ran for 30 seconds that time. What kind of loser can't run for 30 seconds without begging to stop?" It worked very well and I shamed myself into not stopping.
As stupid as this sounds, I am pretty proud that I jogged for a total of 16 minutes last night.
