Mental Exercises

Working out with Will has been very beneficial. We get a lot of time to work on technique and skill, and he's helping me take what I work on in the gym out on the road. Today was a fun 5 on, 5 off through 40 workout.

• Squat (with a bar on the shoulders for reference): I totally fell over on one of them. This was way harder than wall squats because I didn't have the wall to sit against.
  
• Glute ham
• Lunge: Once we got me stepping correctly (fast, not from my heels or landing on my heels, and straight out), I did fine, but that was maybe the last 2 reps.
• Push up: on feet for all, but I dropped to my knees for the last half of the last 3.
• Scap pull up: For the last 2 at least, I pretty much had all my weight on the bench; there's no way I could have held myself up. And he wanted me to go right into curl. Hah!
  
• Curl: 15-lb dumbbells. Will had to help me on the last 2, and he kept saying that my right shoulder was coming up. More to work on....
  

Then we did a fun mental exercise, which I definitely need to work on (he said like every day, which tells you how bad I was at it!). First, eyes closed. Then he asked me what my goals are:

• Finish the Music City Marathon under 4 hours (or 3:40 if I can)
• Place in my age group in Ironman Louisville and qualify for Hawaii
• Put aside Ironmans for a little while to focus on Olympic-distance triathlons

OK, so we have a few goals; then we move to IMLoo, the A race for the year. He asks what I have to do to achieve my goal, and I say place high enough in my age group to get one of the allotted slots. Basically it depends on how well I do compared to the other athletes unless I cream the field. He says that sounds like something you do in the kitchen. C'mon, Will, I'm trying to focus here! We establish that I know the course (I did it last year and am familiar enough with it; in fact, I can see most of it in my head after having ridden/run it and watched a video of it last year before the race). He says OK, you're just about to finish the swim; you're getting toward the shore, OK, you're done and heading toward your bike (I'm impressed he knows the correct order!). What are you feeling?

Hungry, I answer, I need food! No, you're feeling strong; you're ready to get on the road on your bike. You've established who you need to pass. Now what are you feeling? I'm ready to go; I want to pass everyone ahead of me but I need to pace myself. I'm focused on pulling and pushing my pedals so that I get the maximum benefit of each pedal stroke. It's the heat of the day; you're moving well, still going strong, using your body efficiently and you've accomplished your goals by passing who you need to pass during the bike. I don't tell him I get passed by the pros in the meantime, but it makes me go faster knowing where they are.

We head toward the end of the bike; now what am I thinking? There are still a few people ahead of me that I'll have to aim for on the run. I know the course; there's only one hill and it's at mile 2. No big deal. Fine, you're off the bike and headed for the final leg of the race. My legs feel like jello. No, that's not positive. OK, I'm going to take the first mile easy, get my legs back, and look ahead to the final 25. He tries to move on to the final half, and I'm still in the first mile, wishing he could come watch the race or do one himself.

Finally I get to the second half of the marathon. What are you feeling? What are you thinking? He has to prompt me here because I'm tired: You're feeling strong, efficient, sharp (he likes that; yeah, you're feeling sharp). I can see that. I've just run one loop, and I know what's waiting for me as I head out for the second loop. I'm not thinking about talking to anyone on the course. I'm not thinking about looking at who's watching the race. I'm thinking about making my legs move, about staying upright and not hunching my shoulders.

OK, you're in the final stretch (I don't know what he thinks is the final stretch, but I'm thinking 10K here: 50 minutes to go). You're lifting and lowering your legs. You're lifting a little higher. There are 3 girls ahead of you; you have to kick a little to catch them. You can see the finish line. I'm thrilled. I kick a little more. I can see the clock: it says 11:10, and I finish before it changes to 11:11 (this is a mental exercise, so I can dream!). I finish and fall into the catchers there (oh, after I do my cartwheel. He laughs.). He asks what happens then. They give me a medal and they take my picture. Then I walk toward the food and massages. I feel accomplished. I did what I had to do; I ran my race. Basically, I'm elated that I'm done.

My first thoughts were. "I'm hungry," and, "My legs feel like jello." Not exactly the most positive thoughts (even if they are true). I will have worked the whole summer for this race; I should be thinking about how all that work will translate to a great race, to my body working like I've trained it to, to my giving my best no matter what. This mental exercise is something I can work on every day.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24–27