So, the mind is a strange thing (some more than others, of course). But let me tell you what I mean. I've talked about running here before, how I hated it, then got to sort of like it when I realized I could actually do it. And I would write about my little goals - ran for three minutes straight today or ran two miles but with breaks every quarter mile.
Well, today, I got back into the gym after three weeks of no exercise and a fair amount of unhealthy eating. One of the circuits was to run a mile and we were going to be timed to see how we would progress in the following week. So, I start running at a level just below where I left off three weeks ago (speed of 4.0 as opposed to 4.5) and just kept going. Because I was focused on the long haul, I didn't notice every second tick down as I usually do. By the time I got tired enough to slow to a walk (or I should say, by the time I noticed my heart rate was at 168), 8 minutes had gone by. I couldn't believe that, after weeks of slacking off, I was able to run 8 minutes straight. Yes, sort of a turtle's pace, but running nonetheless.
What's weird here is that I can remember running on this same treadmill in the height of my 12-week program, looking at the timer thinking, "Just make it to 3 minutes without stopping," or even "Just make it to 2 minutes," and it would be a struggle to stick it out.
So, two things: either I was eating so few calories that I was lacking in energy OR this is a mental issue. I started to wonder today if my inclination is to give up before the goal is reached regardless of how far away that goal is. So, if I have a goal to run 3 minutes straight, am I going to get that same mental "I can't do it!" at the 2 minute mark event though I know I can physically do 8 minutes straight?
I don't know - it's just so hard to make that mind-body connection. They haven't worked well together, like, ever.
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