CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6. ALL IN THE MIND The Psychology of Running. As most people would agree,physical exercise is beneficial for the body. Blood is oxygenated and purified. The muscles and ligaments are conditioned and,importantly,the immune system is improved. Stress levels are lessened,and the overall mood is enhanced. However,what is often underplayed is the fact that movement is of great benefit to the brain. Oxygen reaches the brain because of the improvement in circulation,which greatly enhances it's functioning, hence greater focus and increased memory and learning capacity. The positive outlook that results from this can also protect from mental diseases like altzheimers and dementia. Some people make the mistake of thinking that a simple exercise such as running,could never provide the sorts of benefits we are talking about here. Well, all I can say is that even a cursory glance on the world wide web will display a wealth of facts and figures to support this statement. Just google some thing like "medical benefits of exercise/running" and you'll see my point. In this book I have outlined some of the benefits we receive from running. But it has been said that running is least 90% mental .I don't know whether that's completely true or not but it does sound highly likely. Our mind controls all we do. Certainly our experience of running, our strategies and our motivation are all matters of the mind. Thought always precedes action after all. Here,by way of illustration is a little experiment in how the mind affects the body ; Imagine a bright yellow, plump and juicy lemon. You squeeze out the juice into a glass tumbler. You slowly sip it. It is so tangy, it buzzes on your tongue . If you are not beginning to salivate now, I would be very surprised! I will always remember my first ever race. I could not understand why I felt so jittery. I trained hard, I knew the run the terrain and so on,and had lots of friends alongside me ready to run this 10k with me. But,the nerves were still there. I tried deep breathing,stretching and trying to blank my mind,but my stomach felt like a butterfly farm! Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I was putting too much stock in the importance of what I was doing. Its a run, I am not a soldier about to cross into dangerous enemy territory! For heavens sake, its just a race. Hopefully,I wont get court martialled or shot when I cross the finishing line! If I do! Thats the gist of what ran through my mind. "If I do." Ah... that's it....really...its all about FEAR OF FAILURE. Well, as soon as I reasoned all that out,I began to feel a whole lot better. Of course I had expectations. Others had expectations of me. I'd determined to try to beat other guys in my age bracket,who were also newbies to the sport. I had inadvertently piled STRESS on to myself. But when I lowered my standard to "less than perfect",it was all much much easier to handle. I've taken that approach-that viewpoint ever since,not just when it comes to running,but life generally,and it has served me well. To sum up; "If it doesn't matter,never mind! as the saying goes. There is no doubt that running imparts many benefits of a psychological nature. In a programme of regular running, that old bogeyman called stress is overcome. We can be the winner! Our confidence and character are boosted. There is a confidence that comes from running that very few sports can give. We begin to feel that no matter what life throws at us we have the ability to get on the road or the trails and run and run and run. Tension melts away. We begin to flow in our stride and life takes on a brighter hue. The flow of endorphins which results from running, produces in us, what is called famously the "runner's high". It's a great feeling. As we are in the business of not only getting fit but losing weight, this feeling of empowerment is even stronger. There is nothing like the buzz you get seeing your weight dropping off and strength and flexibility returning. Your skin becomes clear, sleep patterns improve and there is a general sense of well-being. when you look in the mirror and see all that is taking place that is even more of an encouragement. So, I trust that you now beginning to get motivated to losing weight and getting fit by running for your life. As a frequent public speaker, I have discovered that when I'm running I am solving problems and getting all sorts of ideas about my next talk. It's amazing. I can sit at home pondering problems trying to figure out what to do in a situation and end up frustrated. However, as soon as I slip on my trainers and hit the road or trail I find a freedom and an inspiration welling up on the inside. This is precious time, running alone in a meditative state. Maybe its the subconscious mind or, if like myself, you are a person of faith, perhaps a prayerful attitude that can envelop you that's the reason for it? I don't know. But,when alls said and done-does it matter? It works! If you are in a bad mood,especially in anger mode,a run will sort you out quickly. As the miles fly by,your negativity will melt like a snowball in the desert. Try it,and you'll see. This sport has been used for years to help those who suffer with one of the most prevalent diseases of today's high pressure world-clinical depression. Doctors and Psychologists all agree on the mental and emotional release that a regular training programme can bring to sufferers of this problem. It is better than drugs,because there are no side- effects to worry about. A well known running expert once said "Good physical training is important,but what goes on in your head will determine whether you'll win or lose,whether you'll be able to break through a psychological barrier or not-and whether you'll hold a medal in your hand and smile with satisfaction at the end." Now I know that most of you reading this weight loss keep fit book, are not planning to be serious athletes and run races,although I hope you will. I mention the quote above because it is a great motivational one,and what’s more it's true,and not some new-age psycho babble. So,yes...set your sights as high as you dare and stretch yourself to the limit. You can only fail when you quit. Better to 'smile with satisfaction' don't you think?