Chapter 18:
You’re into a hard workout, your times are slowing down and you feel really tired. By focusing on the negative thoughts, you’ll increase overall stress and allow the subconscious brain to trigger negative attitude peptides, injecting billions of cells with their low motivation messages. If you don’t have a cognitive strategy, you’ll find yourself thinking thoughts such as:
This isn’t your day.
You can’t reach your goal today.
Just slow down a little.
There are other days to work hard.
Do this workout again when you are more motivated.
Evaluate whether there is a real reason (e.g., medical, heat, etc.) why you can’t run as projected. If there is a reason, back off and conserve—there will be another day.
Almost every time, however, the problem is more simple: you are not willing to push through the discomfort. You are allowing the subconscious brain to stimulate negative attitude hormones, reducing your desire to do your best.
Mentally focus on the next segment of the workout. If you have been using R3min/W1min and were slowing down during the last minute, reset to R60sec/W30sec. As you find a segment of running that you know you can do, you gain confidence and release positive hormones. More positive secretions push your mood to the positive and keep the negative emotions away.
Reset your timer if needed. Taking the positive action of evaluating the segments on your Run Walk Run® timer will shift control into the frontal lobe of your brain and into the executive center. You will set a strategy that works so that you feel confident that you can run for the number of seconds or minutes in your running segment. If you have any doubt that you can run for that period, then reset to a shorter amount.
Say positive things like “I’m pushing back my barriers,” “I’m overcoming challenges,” and “This is making me tougher.” As you add to the number of repetitions during each workout and talk to the frontal lobe, you allow it to reprogram the reflex brain and lock into a series of steps to get through the fatigue at the end of the workout. By the time you run the goal race, the reflex brain is ready to click into one positive step at a time to get to the end.
Confront the subconscious brain’s negative messages with strength statements like
“Don’t quit!” “I can run one more minute,” “I can run 30 more seconds,” and “I can run 15 seconds!”
Mental toughness starts with simply not giving up. Ignore the negative messages, stay focused on the next few steps, and talk to yourself. Focusing on a doable length of run segments shifts control to the executive brain and away from the reflex brain. Positive affirmations activate positive peptides.
I can do the next segment! By focusing on the next running segment, and shortening the length if needed, you are in cognitive control over your run.
In your speed workouts, practice the following drill. Fine-tune this so that when you run your goal race, you will have a strategy for staying mentally tough, with a flood of positive peptides.
The scene:
You’re getting very tired, you’d really like to call it quits, or at least slow down significantly.
Quick strategies
Break up the remaining workout into segments that you know you can do:
Tell yourself “Just one more minute.” Run for one minute, then reduce pace slightly for a few seconds. Then say “Just one more minute” again, and again. Other segments that have been successful are the following: 30 seconds, 20 seconds, and 10 seconds.
Tell yourself “Just 10 more steps.” Run about 10 steps, take a couple of easy steps, then say “Just 10 more steps.”
Tell yourself “One more step.” Keep saying this over and over—you’ll get there.
Take some gliding breaks
Reduce the tension in your leg muscles and feet by gliding for a few strides every 1-2 minutes. The acceleration-glider drill prepares you for this moment, particularly when coasting downhill.
As you say “I’m gliding” or “I’m running smoothly,” you continue the mental shift to the positive.
Segment by segment
If you really question your ability to get through the workout, start each repetition, or race segment, saying to your self—“just one more” (even if you have 4 to go) or “10 more steps”. “I‘m getting it done!”
Teamwork! You may not realize it but you are on a team of thousands around the country and the world, who are using the Run Walk Run® method. You can pull motivation from the other person or persons. Think about your team members and say to yourself: “I feel their strength.” The perception of team bonding can pull you through many difficult workouts and shift your attitude hormones in your favor.
When you are getting close to the end and really feel like you can’t keep going, say to yourself “I am tough,” “I can endure,” “Yes, I can,” or “One more step.”
Smile!
At any stage of a hard race—even in the first third—you can encounter problems that bring doubt and trigger negative messages from the reflex brain. If you focus on these messages, you will produce negative attitude hormones that will lower your motivation.
By rehearsing every negative message you could get, you will desensitize yourself to their attitude lowering effect.
Confront each negative with a positive statement. Start with something you can control: the length of the run segment. Say to yourself: “I can walk in 60 seconds.” If this is questionable, reduce it to 30 seconds, or 20, or 10. The race or the workout is simply a series of segments. Don’t focus on the distance left in the race, just how long you will run before you walk.
If you feel negative... | Make a positive statement. |
Back off, this isn‘t your day. | Don’t give up! |
Thirty-second segments are getting tough. | I will run for 20 seconds. |
There are other races. | I can do it. |
Why are you doing this? | I‘m getting tougher. |
Evaluate whether there is a real medical reason (which is rare). If there is a health problem, back off and conserve—there will be another day.
Most commonly, the subconscious reflex brain is responding to the stress buildup of the workout/race by triggering negative peptides, creating a negative emotional environment. A successful strategy during the first onset of this attitude downturn is to glide a little. If needed, take an extra walk break (2-3 minutes) to mentally re-group and focus on the next segment of the race.
To do your best in a race, you must manage the stress buildup by using a routine such as those that follow. You are training yourself to keep going, which is 90% of the battle. You are also programming the conscious brain to regularly check on the reflex brain, stop the negative thoughts, and insert positive beliefs.
Continue to confront monkey brain messages with strength statements: Don’t quit! I can do it!
In your speed workouts, practice the following drill. Fine-tune this so that when you run your goal race, you will have a strategy for staying mentally focused and positive. Your belief in a plan will increase the production of positive motivational hormones.
The scene: You’re getting very tired and stressed in a race, you’d really like to call it quits, or at least slow down significantly.
Quick strategies
Break up the remaining race into segments that you know you can do.
Tell yourself “Just one more minute.” Run for one minute, then reduce pace slightly for a few seconds, then say “One more minute” again, and again (or 30 seconds, or 15 seconds, etc.).
Tell yourself you will take just “Ten more steps.” Run about 10 steps, take a couple of easy steps, then say “Ten more steps.”
Tell yourself “One more step.” Keep saying this over and over—you’ll get there.
Take an extra walk break to gather yourself if you need it.
Take some gliding breaks. By doing the acceleration-glider drill, you will be prepared to do this in the race.
Reduce the tension in your leg muscles and feet by gliding for a few strides every 1-2 minutes. The acceleration-glider drill prepares you for this moment, particularly when coasting downhill.
Segment by segment
In the race, if you really question your ability to finish, start each race segment, saying to yourself—“just one more” or “10 more steps”. You’ll make it the whole way.
Teamwork! You are needed by the team. Belonging to a larger group with team spirit can pull you through many difficult workouts. Even if you have a long-distance friend that you are going to report to, it helps to have that connection. Some runners bring their cellphone on long runs and call their friend as a lifeline, during the walk breaks.
When you are getting close to the end and really feel like you can’t keep going, say to yourself “I am tough,” “I can endure,” “Yes, I can,” or “One more step.”
“I CAN DO IT... I AM DOING IT... I DID IT!
Mantras can distract you from negative feelings generated by the subconscious brain under stress. But they can also actually shift mental gears. When you say a mantra and think about the meaning of the words, you stimulate the conscious brain. This component can override the negative actions of the subconscious brain and allow you to stimulate positive attitude hormones.
Having a list of mantras that deal with Run Walk Run® issues will keep you focused on the next run segment and then the next walk break. This is a cognitive strategy that keeps you in control over your attitude.
As you say each mantra over and over, believe in it. If you need to edit to believe, do it.
I’m in control!
I can change the run amount.
I can change the walk amount.
I have the strength.
On to the next walk break!
I can run _______ (amount of the run segment).
One run at a time.
One walk at a time.
Walk breaks erase fatigue.
I can do it!
Run Walk Run® to the finish line.