Manchester Marathon Week 7 - Bring in that cheerleader!

Week 7 training done and dusted.

Just your casual 72km week!

Running is all in the mind. If you're feeling good about yourself, then your running seems to flow. If you are feeling inspired, you seem more up for taking on new running challenges.

If something ever so slightly changes, it can very easily and quickly lead to self sabotage.

Where the mind tries to trick you and make you high-jack the good times. All your hardwork has been for nothing.

It starts with one thought, then another and the next thing you know the good times have came crashing around you. Just like that. But it wasn't just like that. You maybe allowed in those thoughts, encouraged them, then validated them. Arghhh you fell for the trap!

What do I mean?

How many of us say things like "oh I don't want to jinx it" when thinking positive of an outcome.

So instead you FEAR and EXPECT the worst, you probably do something to attract the worst into your life then when the worst happens say something like "Told you that would happen".

Guess what?

You created your fear by thinking it, talking about it until it became your reality. What you give your energy to grows. Fear grows by thinking negatively!

In 2018 I felt nervous before the Manchester half marathon. I'd ran the route before but I wanted a faster time. I had a benchmark so now the stakes were different, higher, more pressure.

The day before the race I felt optimistic that I could run fast, faster than 2017. I was feeling good and went to bed on a carb filled tummy. Feeling them positive vibes.

Then in the morning, the morning of the race, I heard THAT voice. Whenever I thought positive it tried to derail me, place doubt in my head by saying "Don't be over confident or you'll jinx it".

You can't jinx hardwork and preparation. I'd trained for the half marathon time I knew I could run, I had rested and fuelled.

I WAS ready.

I acknowledged THAT voice and turned it down then turned up my cheerleader voice. If I listened to the self doubt voice, real doubt would have flooded in and when the going gets tough no one wants any bit of doubt lingering. Doubt kills dreams. Trust me.

The race did get hard and for a second the doubt I had quietened tried to take charge. Then the pace maker near me looked me in the eye, he could see I was struggling, and told me to run with the pack. The collective energy would see me cross the line.

I considered it - for a second.

I glanced up at the pace time on his flag, it said 1hr 40 mins. That was slower than my goal.

Would the self doubt steal my chance of achieving my goal? No chance.

My cheerleader was on fire that day.

I looked him in the eye, shook my head and took a gel. I felt the energy surge into my body from knowing I still had control of this race and started to ease into a faster pace. The race didn't get easier, I got stronger. Using some mantras to keep focus in my goal. I wasn't allowing self doubt decide the end of Manchester.

In the end, I ran the fastest I'd ever ran that day. A new half marathon Personal Best achieved. Job done.

Cheerleader 1. Self Doubt 0.

I never saw the pace guy again, but I still remember him to this day.

That race taught me a lot.

This week I've ran my highest mileage to date. At the start of the week I could hear the doubt try to creep in, whispers of "could my body handle it", "how tired I'd feel" and "really" when I glanced at my usual easy Sunday run to see 26km pencilled in made up of different, difficult paces and a sneaky 10min at a quick pace turning it into a 28km run. Gulp.

Before any more thoughts tried to creep in my cheerleader came alive and explained "This week is when we turn things up a notch, get it done. Slide into another gear!" and “Marathon Personal Bests come when the hardwork is done.”

Each run got done, the week 7 training plan ticked off. And my body is feeling good!

I store this week away for when I need evidence my body can handle hard things. To outrick the doubt that will try and creep back in as race day comes hurtling into the horizon.

I’ve also used this week as evidence to demyth a limiting belief I have that my body can’t handle consecutive high mileage weeks. This is true when I don't rest my body on rest days and don’t go easy on my easy runs. It’s not just about trusting the process, but following it!! When I follow the process, my body responds.

You learn something new every day, if you are willing to challenge the excuses and tales in your head. “Is that true?” is a good place to start.

My takeaway this week:

Each day, each week and each challenge you decide what thoughts you listen to. Never stop chasing your dreams because of some self doubt! Doubt is ‘au naturale’ to the process of growth.

Turn up your cheerleader and thank your inner critic, then do the thing your mind is trying to prevent you from achieving.

Our biggest enemy is our own self-doubt. We really can achieve extraordinary things in our lives. But we sabotage our greatness because of our fear. ~Robin Sharma