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January 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
you can initially run the race – most
people begin with this mentality,
because let’s face it, these races are
one heck of a long distance, and can
feel unattainable at times, even for the
best of runners. It may be a good idea
to begin with a 5km race, and then
build your way up to a full marathon.
Eat healthily
Over 30s
Running:
Negative Nancy
to Positive Polly
By Curt Davies
Running long distance is more
than just having a physically-able
body. In fact, without having a strong,
positive mindset during and before
the run, it can be the most strenuous, difficult task you ever set out
to achieve. Oftentimes, it can be the
people who either stop in the middle
of a race, or don’t even attempt the
race who have a weak mindset (just
to clarify: this isn’t always the case).
As a result, I have conducted a list of
different ways you can have a positive
mindset when running a race; whether it be for a marathon, half marathon,
or even triathlon (or training for a
race). Let’s find out, shall we?
Surround yourself
with positive people
When you surround yourself with
positive people, you’re likely to have
their positivity brush off on to you.
It’s inevitable, which is a good thing.
Think of all the people who are
negative, and try your best to remove
them from your life (sometimes,
in certain circumstances, that’s not
possible). Instead, find groups who
share similar interests with you, and
are always happy and outgoing. Even
if you’re a little timid and shy, it can
help you break out of your shell if you
surround yourself around positive,
like-minded people. A great way of
doing this is to join sports, or even
go on Meetup and see if there are any
long distance running groups around
your area. This is a great way for over
30s to make life-long friends with
similar interests as your own.
Remind yourself that
you can do it
Every morning and night, months
before the race even begins: you need
to reassure yourself that you can do
it, and you’re not going to fail. A positive mindset is fundamental when
running a long distance race. Even if
you don’t feel you can do it, saying “I
can do it” out loud can help you build
your confidence, and eventually, you
will genuinely believe you can do it.
Don’t be alarmed if you don’t think
Having a healthy diet equates to a
healthy mindset. Put the junk food
away, and start eating healthier, more
natural foods. Although it may not
seem like eating more healthy foods
will impact your mentality at the
time, I can assure you that you will
feel better after just one or
two days of eating less junk. I’m
not saying you shouldn’t treat yourself to a chocolate bar now and then
(or even I’d go crazy) but make sure
you keep it as “now and then”, not on
a regular basis. Remember: having a
positive mindset when you’re over 30
can be more challenging than it was
when you were younger.
Think of things you
appreciate in life
Think of all the people in your
life you appreciate. Then think of
all the things in life you appreciate.
Fortunately for you, you are more
fortunate than a lot of people in
developing (third world) countries.
The fact you’re able to pay to run
long distance, and even read this
article on a device should put things
into perspective of how good you
have it. I understand it’s probably bad
to compare happiness, particularly of
those in not-so-fortunate places, but
the fact is, it can make us feel good if
we know we genuinely have a good
life; running just makes it that much
better!
Stay focused on what
you want to achieve
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not so much on other things (with
exceptions of family and friends).
Treat yourself with a good movie or
a nice bottle of wine every now and
then, but don’t forget about what you
want to achieve from your race, and
do whatever it takes to ensure you
can achieve it. The months before
running the long distance event are
crucial to work hard and be able to
physically run the race, as well as
mentally.
Set realistic goals
Instead of wishing you could be
as good as Joan Benoit or Frank
Shorter, start wishing you were
as good as you can personally be.
There’s nothing worse than setting an
unrealistic goal and not even getting
close to achieving it. All you’re going
to get is an overwhelming sense of
disappointment and dissatisfaction
to what should have been a really
positive experience. You’re over 30
now – things don’t come as easily as
they used to, unfortunately. It’s best
to set a goal you think you can truly
achieve, and not something that is
beyond even your capabilities.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier: having a
positive mindset is essential for every
long distance runner. It can help stay
motivated, and overall help you run
long distance in comparison to having
a pessimistic mindset. By following
these points, you are guaranteed to
go from Negative Nancy to Positive
Polly.
About the Author
Curt Davies is a marathon enthusiast.
His website (www.marathondriven.com)
is stacked with information and other
goodies regarding marathon running
and training for those over the
age of 30.
Whether you want to achieve
simply finishing a race or making
a certain time – it’s important that
you stay focused on your goals, and
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