Apr5 4/5/2010 9:11 AM
All or Nothing?
It seems to be both that time of year, and that time before the race, to closely examine where you have been with preparation and what is reasonable to expect of yourself in the time remaining.
The last few weeks have been for me a difficult time to train consistently. This has been in part because of the weather (isn’t Spring in Colorado fun), in part because of my attitude (I still have plenty of time, my training schedule is more than I really need), and in part because of my body (I am feeling tired, my new shoes are stressing my feet). I seem to have gotten in to a slump of all or none thinking with training, allowing these negative factors to convince myself it is OK to skip runs, and it has had a negative impact.
I think many, if not all of us, can have this problem when we undertake a behavior that is difficult or time consuming. Either you do it perfect (that 15 mile run on Sunday that was supposed to happen) or you don’t do it at all (I do not really have the time, my energy is too low, I won’t be able to achieve the pace I am planning...). This “all or nothing,” “black or white,” “A or Z” thinking is a major and easy trap to fall into, especially when A is a challenge (physically, emotionally, and environmentally) and Z is often the more comfortable place.
The way around this “A or Z” thinking trap is to realize there is a middle ground, a “B” that is not perfect but very good and that moves you significantly forward in your journey. So rather than thinking if I can’t follow my plan perfectly today I won’t run, going to what can I realistically do that will move me forward. Often all you need is to start and run around the block and that will give you the boost to overcome all the barriers you were focusing on before.
This is also a good time to look back at your training plan and SMART goals you set and to honestly evaluate where you are now. Have you missed more sessions than you should have (where maybe a getting out of “A or Z” thinking will help), or have you already adjusted your training appropriately but are finding more “B” days than “A” days? Were your goals then truly Realistic and Achievable? There is still time to re-evaluate, adjust your plans, set honest goals, and arrive strong and prepared for the race.
Don’t forget the free, live “Training to Thrive” webinar this Wednesday, April 7 from 12—1:30 p.m. Simply visit https://www.kpwebinar.org to register.
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