Mental Techniques for Runners: Visualizations

In line with the concept of dissociation, I have used visualization techniques to mentally propel myself further toward my goals. Objects or concepts take on new and powerful meanings when I see them in this light. Running for long distances requires a certain degree of mental toughness and discipline, which I have found comes easier with visualization.

My visualizations include the following:

“On tap”: One time I heard a runner refer to their mileage as “X miles on tap for today”, as if each number were a flavor of beer. For example: 15 miles on tap would be a different “flavor” than 9 miles on tap. If I consider my daily mileage as a drink on tap, then my legs are the liquid that flow until I reach what is on tap. The rest of my body (including my mind) steers my legs and gets me to that “flavor”.

“Liquid courage”: This is Powerade. When I take a sip of my Powerade during a run, I get a shot of carbs and electrolytes that powers me further than if I did not have it at my disposal. Therefore, it gives me courage by making me feel stronger even as my muscles become more strained. I borrow this terminology from people who believe that other liquids (i.e., beer) make you artificially stronger. Visualizing Powerade as “liquid courage” gives me vigor when I might otherwise lose it.

I struggled to find an image for "breathing in and breathing out". Bear with me here.

Breathing in and breathing out: I got this visualization from a yoga class that I took earlier this summer. Each breath in should be seen as a gift from the universe. This helps me to be thankful for the world around me and the opportunity to run in it. Each breath out is visualized as returning that gift back. The breaths out help me to remember the gifts that I give through running - a better health-related quality of life that I can share with my family and friends, funds raised for Periclean Scholars, motivation of my MCM cohort, and more. This visualization makes running more about just me.

My breath, my beverage, and my body can be transformed through mental visualizations, which make me a tougher runner. Fellow runners: what visualizations do you use? What ordinary object or concept do you give superpowers during your run?

Freedom - MLK Jr. Tribute Series

The new post series starting today is inspired by the recent opening of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC, along the Tidal Basin and the National Mall. Part of the Memorial’s Vision Statement reads, “Upon reflection, we are reminded that Dr. King's lifelong dedication to the idea of achieving human dignity through global relationships of well being has served to instill a broader and deeper sense of duty within each of us— a duty to be both responsible citizens and conscientious stewards of freedom and democracy.”

Dr. King’s orations challenged our society to achieve peace and equality through nonviolent means. He is an inspiration across generations and continents, and his accomplishments were the subject of some of our lunch and dinner discussions while in Zambia.

The Memorial’s Vision Statement also mentions how the movement calls upon America to realize its potential in the arenas of freedom, opportunity, and justice. This series will address how the Periclean program captures each of these and works to broaden this vision across the globe.

Freedom is a central tenet in successful democratic societies. Citizens are not trapped by unjust constraints and able to exercise all human capabilities and liberties in a truly free society. Dr. King’s vision sought to bring freedom to all peoples, in particular African Americans who had struggled under the Jim Crow laws and bigotry by other races.

To obtain true freedom, a shackled society must see all of its members make great sacrifices. This seems counter to what individuals would want, but I feel that it is the selfish attitudes of all that make freedom so difficult to obtain.

One of the most difficult forces to overcome is that of racial pride. All humans belong to a different racial group based on luck of the draw through birth. Through societal constructs, these races (or blends of races) have tied us down through the force of pride. Identifying oneself in a group to the exclusion of others is an excellent way to weaken our ties as global citizens.

When people have too much racial pride, they elevate themselves above other groups to the detriment of society. When white people in Germany elevated the Aryan race above others, they sparked the Holocaust. When neighborhoods are formed based on race, enclaves lash out at those not perceived to be their “own” and race riots ensue. When bachelors and bachelorettes only elect to date people of one race, they place a wedge between themselves and suitors who may very well have more compatible life values than others in their own race. While those who are proud of their race might feel great about belonging to a certain group, they should be warned that there is no such thing as a separate peace; with each group that clamors with pride, others cringe in shame.

Over the course of history, the opposite of racial pride has indeed shown its ugly head. In the United States, we had the Jim Crow laws. In South Africa, there was apartheid. All across the world, candidates are passed over for job opportunities because they were not born into a certain group, and they feel shame for the inability to overcome something so disconnected to their talents. Racial pride depends on the misfortune or diminishment of another, a force that has polarized societies today - a force that King worked so tirelessly to overcome.

How has the Periclean program helped to make me free? The Periclean program has shown me the possibility of racial contentment. While in Zambia in January 2009, one of my peers described a moment where he explained to a young boy that the incoming President of the United States, Barack Obama, had the same color of skin that he did. This young boy had never seen a picture of Obama and did not understand why everyone was so excited about his inauguration. Upon realizing that Obama was like him, and that someone that looked just like him could be President of the United States, he wore a huge grin. He was not ashamed. Yet, though I could not read his mind, I do not think that he was proud. He was simply glad that the way he was was good enough.

As we watched the Obama inauguration on January 20, 2009, beginning at 5 p.m. local time in Zambia, we knew that race was no longer an excluding factor in seeking the highest office of the most powerful nation in the world. Being black could no longer be seen as a source of shame. Race became a point of contentment: the (racist) pride of whites in holding the highest office for so long, and the (racist) shame of blacks in believing that no matter how hard they worked, they would never achieve it, vanished. Race just is, like eye color or finger length or the type of belly button you have. Americans swelled up with this realization, and Africans (with the fresh memories of apartheid) beamed at the leveling of this playing field.

Race is not a cause for celebration. Race is not an excuse. Race is something that is decided before you are born, and it should not be judged above the content of a person’s character. This is the message that Martin Luther King, Jr., would want us to believe, and it is the message that the Pericleans bring to their partners and all they touch.

13 Mile Run - Saturday 8/27

In spite of the fact that the half marathon was cancelled for this weekend, I decided to continue this week as a stepback week and run the 13.1 instead of jumping up to 19.

Hurricane weather was a huge threat that I did not want to have to deal with during the course of my run, so I decided not to do an out-and-back. Today's run was along a measured mile around the apartment complex. By running repeats on this mile, I could track my splits - as if I were running a race - and I could get inside as soon as possible if it began to thunder.

There were two ways that I went to achieve one lap. One was 1.05 miles, and the other was 1.15 miles. To make the full 13.1 miles, I did five laps of 1.15 and seven laps of 1.05. To keep track of how many laps/miles I ran, I did three laps in one direction, then reversed, for a total of four sets of laps.

I believe that running laps is harder mentally than running on the treadmill. The scenery rarely changes; it is the same buildings, cars, bushes, and (for the most part) people. Being so close to home makes it very tempting to run back inside and call it quits.

During my sixth lap, the hurricane reached Northern Virginia. At first, the sprinkles were a nice reprieve from the humidity, but soon it began to rain harder and my shirt and shorts were drenched. I followed my rule of thumb and did not stop running, because no thunder was heard and no lightning was spotted. Still, during that lap, I was very tempted to go inside and stop. I considered how if I were on an out-and-back, this would not be a possibility, as I would have to go an equal distance back to the starting line. I did not stop, and I pushed on. Soon, the rain became a constant, and I was counting down the laps until the finish. Thunder and lightning never came into the picture.

Although today's long run outdoors was somewhat uneventful (minus the beginnings of the hurricane), I will carry the strength of completing it with me to marathon day. Today's run was the first in a long time that I have had to deal with the rain, so if it returns on race day, I will not be panicky. Plus, I had thoughts of giving up, but I pushed through.

One of my runner buddies in one of my running groups posted this quote this morning, presumably because of the hurricane conditions and people like me who thought about quitting but didn't give up. I will use it to conclude my post:


"Conditions are never perfect. 'Someday' is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. If it's important to you and you want to do it 'eventually', JUST DO IT and correct course along the way. So whatever dream you have been holding off on chasing, do it now. And when you look back at the end of it all you can say: I DID IT." - Shannon Neinas

Love - Periclean Scholars & Fruits of the Spirit Series

This final entry on the fruits of the spirit concerns love. I saved love for last because of its power. I believe it encompasses all of the other fruits.

The love that I will discuss as a fruit of the spirit is agape (ἀγάπη) love, which is the truest form of love. It is unconditional love through choice and not by happenstance. It is unconquerable goodwill. Agape love differs from other forms of love that people express. These forms that will not be discussed are philia (φιλία) love, or loyalty to friends; eros (ἔρως) love, or romantic/passionate longing; and storge (στοργή) love, or the natural affection like that a parent feels for a child.

The Class of 2009’s motto for the Zambia build was “Built with Love”. When we reached Zambia, our goal was to work in the spirit of love. If we were to claim a conquest at the end of our journey, it would be to have spread agape love to all whom we have touched, and to receive it back.

We were never alone in mixing cement, digging out a foundation, laying bricks, or shoveling backfill. We were part of a diverse, international team that included the future homeowners themselves. We had our foremen, additional contractors, our Habitat coordinators, future neighbors of the homeowners, fellow villagers, and ourselves. All of these team members realized the truth of what a home built with love could do in a family’s life. They rejoiced at the opportunity to be a part of it, and to let this truth continue to prevail.

There are three different models of service: doing for, doing with, and being with. The first one implies subjugation and does not emphasize the relationships built. The second one acknowledges cooperation, but it puts a heavier focus on the tasks rather than the relationships. The third model reflects an emphasis on relationships, on service that is not self-seeking. It does not take into account the titles, status, or backgrounds of the participants. It is the true spirit of goodwill; it is love.

In serving our Periclean partners, we are a part of a community that gives and takes equally. For every act of service we give to our partners, they give us a feeling, a token, a word of thanks in return. For every photo we take, for each memory and story we take, our partners take hugs, memories, and more. My only reason for mentioning this is because this dynamic is hidden and not considered. We do not keep score. Our partners give more to us than we could ever imagine, and vice versa. We do not do favors for one another; we are of service to one another. I believe that this dynamic, and the lack of scorekeeping, grows agape love in the Periclean spirit. This is unconquerable goodwill.

During the closing ceremonies, it was said that our greatest failure would be if we did not return to Kawama to grow the community and build more houses, in the same spirit as when we first arrived. We certainly took this to heart and laid the foundation for future groups to come. In May-June 2011, we showed our obedience to our word by sending a second Elon team to complete a build. Our class, and the program as a whole, consistently lives up to the expectation of sustained partnerships. This loyalty is a measure of love, as agape love never ends.

Lontia’s and Rosemary’s homes were built with love. The Periclean program grows the spirit of love through the nature of its service. As a result of the Periclean opportunity to serve, the fruit of love has grown immeasurably in the hearts of Elon’s Periclean Scholars and those they touch. To end this series, I shall continue in the spirit of thanks, to acknowledge the impact of the Periclean program on growing the fruits of the spirit in me - all of them being encompassed by love. Thank you for assisting me on the journey toward obedience to virtue.

Hurricane: 1. Half Marathon: 0.

Hurricane Irene is scheduled to make landfall on Wildwood, NJ, right as the half marathon is scheduled to take place. 

Nnnooooooooooooooooo!

Irene, you may have won this battle, but you did not win the war! The race officials have deferred all entrants to the 2012 race, because it would require too much logistical coordination to schedule the race for an alternate date in 2011. As of now, I had not planned any races for next season - but now, I will be motivated to keep on going in anticipation of this race!

Training for the marathon will not be stalled by this. I will do a long run either tomorrow evening or early Saturday; it will either be a fast 13 or a slow 19, depending on how ambitious I am.

My hope is that Irene's evil twin sister or brother does not reappear for MCM. If it does, then... well, I guess I'll have to repeat all of this training one more year!

Natural Disaster Emergency Plan for the Marathon

Yesterday’s earthquake in Mineral, VA, felt along much of the East Coast - including Washington, DC - put people through a range of emotions. One of my first thoughts was, at least this didn’t happen while I was running the marathon!

With that thought, I considered how I would deal with a variety of natural disasters if any of them were to crop up on race day. Here is what I decided I should do:

• Tornado: Hop into a protective orb. Allow the tornado to run through the path of my orb. Spin around the tornado and allow it to carry me to the finish line.
• Hurricane: Swim. Ride the currents to the finish line.
• Flood: Swim. If the currents are not strong enough, paddle a canoe or kayak.
• Earthquake: Run on the parts of the shaking earth that propel me forward instead of setting me back. Bounce closer to the finish line.
• Tsunami: Surf to the finish line.
• Avalanche: Strap on skis and slide downhill to the finish line.
• Blizzard: Wear snow shoes or tire tracks to traverse the snow. If necessary, cross-country ski.
• Volcano: Wear a gas mask. Run uphill away from the volcano to the finish line.
• Drought: Drink extra water/Powerade at the water stations.
• Heat Wave: Freeze clothes or put them on the air conditioner before running. Refrigerate or freeze water/Powerade. Stuff ice cubes in various places.
• Fire: Wear a protective fire suit. Drink extra water at aid stations to accommodate for extra clothing.

Granted, many of these scenarios will not happen on race day - especially an avalanche or volcano. I’d like to think I will be prepared just in case. Even when everything is going perfect during training, there is always the unknown of what will happen the day of the big race. Yesterday’s earthquake reminded me of the power of nature and how I should expect the unexpected, especially on race day, to propel me to success (or at least to lower stress).

Inspirational Video from 2010 MCM

In 70 days - a mere 10 weeks - I will add 8 more miles to my longest run to date to make a full marathon. Compared to the beginning of training in February, the race date is unbelievably close. 

Nevertheless, I can always use inspiration to remind me of the challenge ahead. I think this video does a great job of preparing me and inspiring me for what is to come.

I have heard from many friends and acquaintances that the MCM is the best first marathon. Based on this video, the course support and race atmosphere looks like it would be difficult to beat anywhere else.

I am privileged to be a part of the 30,000 elite on October 30. Until then, I will do everything in my power to train strong so that I can race strong. Doing so for the PSAA is beyond worth it!