The Running Track by The Dysania Concept (2022)
Running is one of the most common forms of exercise, primarily because of its accessibility, as all you require are running shoes and land. Through running, Runners build a form of mental toughness that allows them to set and break personal records, improve their physical and mental well-being and enjoy training. Improving your heart’s health, boosting creativity and getting better sleep are some benefits Runners experience. And these benefits, plus many more, come because they’ve decided to put on trainers and move their bodies. So, in this edition of The Mindsets, we’ll explore the qualities, virtues and skills Runners have that aid them in creating their mental toughness and relishing their daily dose of exercise. As Oprah Winfrey said, “Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.”
1. Realistic
Runners must be realistic to progress towards their goals. No matter how experienced a Runner is, they all had their first day. And when that first day occurred, they were most likely as inexperienced and unknown to the sport as any other beginner. However, the Runners who succeed, meaning they can incorporate it as part of their daily routine, are the ones who are honest with themselves and the sport. Realism permits rookies to know they won’t be able to run a marathon after a week of training but that it will take months to reach such a goal. Nevertheless, that doesn’t demotivate them, but they use it as fuel to set shorter, smarter and more realistic goals between their current point and their ultimate destination, enhancing their mental toughness and making them trust the process. Similarly, when we begin a new path, whether a new job, project or hobby, we must understand we can’t become pros in a fortnight or a month. We need to be real with ourselves, our current state, where we want to be, and how much effort we are willing to put into getting there, and start from there, building a solid path to what we want.
2. Trust
Runners count on their ability to trust themselves and their training plan. When preparing for a race, Runners trust their bodies and the results they’ve been observing. Runners lean on their trust to know their hard work will pay off and that they are moving towards the physical and mental state they want. Runners trust their decisions regarding off days, nutrition and additional exercise as part of their training plan. Runners trust their team, whether it’s a professional coach or the support of a loving partner, as a boost of confidence to achieve their end goal. The ability to have faith in themselves is vital to the mental toughness they build to run and complete a race, knowing every step is a step closer to the finishing line. So, when preparing for a plan, trust yourself, your abilities, and your decisions. Trust your strategy and believe it will pay off in the way you have planned. Know the risks and be ready to mitigate them, and when the time comes, trust in your mind to get to the finish line.
3. Focus
Runners rely on their focus to run their race. Runners count on their focus from start to end, whether running a hundred-metre sprint, a half-marathon or a full marathon. Runners focus on their steps, physical and mental state, and energy, ignoring distractions that can negatively impact their race. When a Runner is in the last kilometres of a marathon, beyond the exhaustion, tiredness and pain, Runners focus on the result and the fact every step they run is a step less than the finishing line. Once their race begins, the mental toughness and physical body they’ve prepared solely rely on their focus, which gets them through the race and all its ups and downs. Therefore, when you’ve trained, practised or studied for a goal, once the moment arrives, use your training and focus solely on the objective you are chasing, and ignore unnecessary elements surrounding you. Focus and keep running.
Runners are some of the most resilient minds we will ever meet. Their will to train daily to reach and break their record, complete a race or just enjoy the betterment of their mind and body is fascinating. So, remember to be real with yourself when starting a new journey. Being a beginner is part of every process, and everyone who is now a master began that way. Also, trust yourself, your decisions and your plan. You’ve embarked on this journey for a reason, and it is only up to you to see it through. And finally, focus your mind and body when race day arrives. Tune yourself to the goal, and work towards the finishing line with every step. We invite you to adopt The Runner’s Mindset as we prepare that mental toughness Runners have and let it inspire us into our newest race.
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