In the mind?!?

In the mind? 04-Feb-2011
Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2011

Well, this really is third time lucky. The last 2 blogs that I have written/typed have somehow disappeared into cyber space. After completing the blog I hit the 'publish' button, to publish the text, only to find it disappear (if that makes sense - can one find something disappearing?!?!?). So, after throwing 2 separate tantrums and vowing to never write/type (I'm going to write type from now on as it seems to make more sense) a blog ever again, I have now calmed down, made friends with my computer and decided to type it in a word doc and then cut and paste it into the RTP blogosphere. That way if it 'goes missing' I still have it. Genius! All utterly irrelevant info for anyone reading this but it is a part of my therapy and rehabilitation towards a more positive mindset!! And talking of mindset.......
I have noticed that when I initially set up my RTP profile (a number of weeks ago now) that I selected the title - is it all mental?!?! I feel I ought to address this question/statement - it's no more a question or a curiosity than it is a statement or held belief - and clarify what I mean by it.
I have always been rather curious about one's mind and just how much of life is actually in the mind. How does one deal with daily challenges (like losing your typed text - and more serious things!), obstacles and problems and what affect do they have on one's psyche and subsequent mindset. So, in my opinion, AC2011 is not just a physical, physiological and technical challenge, but also a mental one.
There are many factors that contribute to one's performance in an endurance endeavour of this magnitude. Physical preparation, an individuals physiological structure, technical prep, kit and nutrition options and decisions, pack weight.......and of course psychological. The question is, just what percentage of one's performance is mental. Clearly a very difficult, if not impossible, question to answer.
I believe that all the 'non mental' factors (mentioned above) have an element of psychology. For instance, how does one approach training, especially those long lonely runs. What's the mindset? Is it viewed as a chore (get it over and done with) or a critical training process that contributes positively to achieving the overall goal. The session itself offers an opportunity to really test and hone one's mindset for the race itself.
Now, I'm no experienced long distance runner. I have competed in only 1 marathon. Admittedly, I have ran numerous marathon distances in training and a number of 30+ mile distances. I believe that training for a marathon is harder than the marathon itself. That has been my approach to training for AC2011. I have taken a no nonsense, no compromise approach to training. So, I know the race is going to be damn tough, however I have never viewed that as the only challenge. The challenge of training for and preparing for such an event is even greater. One cannot afford a - 'I'm not really up for it today, may be I should just cut my long run a tad shorter, it's a bit cold out, I'd rather go down the pub (wouldn't we all?!?), I'm tired' - attitude towards training. It's as much mental prep to overcome these issues as it is developing physical strength and endurance. Yes, a 30 mile run is beneficial (as long as injury is avoided) physically. However, how one deals with it will have an enormous impact on one's psyche.
The main reason I applied to compete in AC2011, was to test myself mentally. Find my breaking point. Visit that dark place in my mind where I really need to challenge myself to push on........or quit! I feel, unless it really is a life or death scenario, that the only way to confront this is to go beyond one's physical capabilities into a region where it does become more mental than physical. The human body can achieve monumental things (much has been written on the subject), well beyond every day expectations. I feel though that it is the mind that drives the body on, takes it beyond known capabilities to achieve physical feat, regardless of fitness levels etc.
So, when it's hot out there (100+degs), my feet are swollen (wish I'd gone with that extra shoe size), the blisters are stinging, damn the pack is too heavy, lungs are burning from lack of oxygen, I am 120 miles into a 155 mile race and there are still 20 miles to go of the long stage, home and loved ones are a million miles away (so is a shower!), ran out of water and the next checkpoint is an hour away, I should eat but I can't. What am I going to do about it?

Slow down? Take it easy? Have a rest? Sit down? Grind to a halt? Quit? Dig deep? Push on? Grind it out? Eat up the ground? Enjoy the moment? Savour the pain? This is what it's all about. Arrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh..........
These are the very personal questions I want to ask myself. I want to know the answers. I'm looking forward to finding out what the answers are - I just hope that I am not disappointed by what I hear.
Anyway, I've gone on a tad and as Dylan Thomas (Welsh Poet. 1914-1953 - Crikey he died young!) once said: 'someone is boring me, I think it's me'.
So I'll leave you alone.
Oh, just one other thing. I quite like this quote:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."