I have long been fascinated by the Self-Transcendence 3100-mile race. This “Mount Everest of Ultramarathons” was created by Sri Chinmoy in 1997 and takes place annually each summer in Queens, New York City. The course is along one extended city block. Sri Chinmoy believed that running could be a tool for inner transformation, and that this punishing race would push runners to transcend beyond what we perceive as physically impossible in order to gain spiritual insights. To learn more about this fascinating race, check out Amazon’s “3100: Run and Become.”
Now, while I am intrigued, I do not entertain the thought of ever running a triple digit race. However, I was wondering what else I could try and do, and how farther than a full marathon (42.2 km) I would be able to go. The answer came to me via an ad for the SF Half Day Challenge that somehow popped up on my Facebook feed. And then, it was inevitable. The idea came into my mind and got stuck in my head – a timed race. It is said that goal-setting provides direction and purpose in life, and without goals we end up running in circles. And there I was, setting a goal to run in circles - for 6 hours straight.
Having completed the challenge, I have to admit that the idea sounded better in my head than it did actually doing it. Like any big goal, it was difficult. And when literally running in circles, each loop was another opportunity for self-doubt. Successfully completing a challenge is about learning to silence that soft whisper that plants the seed of doubt when attempting to do hard things. There were many moments in which I wanted to give up and seriously considered stopping. But I soldiered on, finding ways to conquer self-doubt, switching “I can’t” to “I think I can,” one loop at a time.
It is a good lesson for life. Pain is temporary. Whatever the challenge, you will get through it if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It is all about surviving the middle miles between the first exciting mile and the last triumphant one.
3 strategies to stick with your goal despite the doubts and pain:
1. Mind over Matter
A long physical and mental challenge is a great opportunity to practicing refocusing the mind when hitting a wall. The mind wants to focus on the problems; e.g.; it’s too windy, my legs are sore, my IT band is killing me, I am exhausted, and the list goes on. But it is possible to trick your mind to shift focus to purpose and the moments of joy in order to transcend the pain. Belief is a powerful thing. When you shift the focus to self-confidence, the struggle begins to lift and you see a path forward. Believe you are the little engine that could repeating the mantra “I think I can, I think I can,” to complete what might feel like an impossible feat.
2. Make it Exciting
The quickest way to beat fatigue is to get excited. To do that, you need to inspire your senses. You don’t have to race till you break. You can (and should) stop and take breaks to rejuvenate physically, mentally and emotionally. When running, it means drinking your favorite energy drinks, munching on your favorite snacks (mine are the peanut butter pretzel bites), and listening to the ultimate race playlist to power the run (I have created my very own samba party playlist and imagine myself dancing in Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.) Find the things that bring you joy and pause and recognize the happy and beautiful moments. It is a great way to find new focus and stay motivated.
3. Just 1 more loop
Instead of asking “why am I doing this?” and “how many more loops can I do?” I kept telling myself “Just One More Loop.” I was singing to myself a new version of Phil Collins’ One More Night:
“Ooh, just one more loop
Oh, one more loop”
I was pushing myself to do just one more loop before I stop (again) at the aid station for more pretzel bites. One loop at a time, and lo and behold I ended up pushing myself into a new distance. When working towards a big goal, every now and then, remind yourself to push past any problems, to just do one more thing, and then celebrate the small wins, rewarding yourself with the proverbial pretzel. The key to the pursuit of goals is to hold your vision in line of sight and continue to put one foot in front of the other.
Here’s the thing, I didn’t achieve my goal of running 50K. I ended up running 48K. I was the only woman in my age group, so one could say, I finished in 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. Joking aside, even though I missed my goal, I feel accomplished. I gave it my absolute best despite the sharp, stabbing knee pain (ITBS), puffy eyelids and watery eyes (strong wind), and sheer exhaustion. I am proud of myself for recognizing it is ok to miss a goal. I am successful for having tried, for continuing to push through and forward. I realized that the journey towards my goal, far exceeded the goal itself. I feel that this truism applies to running and any and all goals. The outcome is in the hands of the external circumstances (wind, terrain, etc.) The process of working toward the goal is in your hands. With every step and every loop, or milestone completed, you are growing stronger.
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