And how running a marathon helped me understand the importance of training my mind
It will be seven years in April since I first ran the Brighton Marathon. Before that I’d run long distances, but never a 26.2-miler. After that first event in the southern coast of England, I completed three successive marathons (all in Brighton) and three half-marathons (all in London).
I began training for the 2016 Brighton marathon at the end of autumn in 2015. I wanted to build up strength and stamina. Little did I know that I would need to boost my mental power, too.
It was during a long run (21 miles), in February 2016, that I realised I had to work on my mind as well as on my body. On that day for the first time I felt as if my body were breaking up. This happened around mile seventeen or eighteen. I still had another three or four miles to go. When I got home, I collapsed on the floor and stayed there for an eternity. As I recovered, I started thinking of ways to tackle my mental fatigue, for that’s what had happened. My body felt tired but still had enough fuel in the tank to carry on, whereas my mind had given up and wanted out.
Over the next weeks I developed a plan to strengthen my mind in the same way I was doing it with my body. The irony is that I would apply the same strategy when it came to writing my first book.
Just like a runner commits to a marathon, half-marathon or parkrun, a writer must commit themselves to the piece they’re creating. For this to happen, it’s a good idea to set some goals beforehand. This could be from the number of words we write per day to how much to edit out or leave in. Sound out the passages in your head. Pay attention to the rhythm and flow.
Concentration is another element that aids both runners and writers alike. I’m used to running with music. But for my first marathon I left my mp3 behind. In all honesty this was more to do with what I understood to be the event rules at the time. Nevermind. I learnt how to focus on my breathing, my pace, and my posture instead. The same applies to writers. Writing is already a big challenge. We don’t need to make it more complicated by adding distractions. Social media can wait, the cat will be fed at some point (don’t worry, tabby!), and our washing will be done. What is important is to be disciplined and carve out some writing time from our busy schedules. I would probably advise to include meditation as part of a writer’s practice. A few minutes emptying our heads and focusing on our breathing will do wonders when we’re faced with the blank page again.
We’re all emotional beings. But I don’t think we should allow our emotions to get in the way of our story. Emotion management is as important as controlling our speed. If I start running really fast at the beginning of a marathon, I know I’ll struggle by mile ten, let alone by mile thirteen, half the route. It’s the same in writing, don’t tell me you’re crying, just show me your broken heart.
Last but not least, it’s trust. Trust in ourselves, in our capabilities. I remember seeing the blue of the sea as we all turned around and ran back to Brighton from Hove. It was the first time I’d put myself through such a gruelling event and my body was falling apart. However, because I’d done that important work on my mind previously, I began visualising the finish line. And not just the finish line, but also the finish line in conjunction with the sea. Those last three or four miles flew by so quickly that by the time I noticed it was the end, I was being cheered by an enthusiastic crowd.
Writing, whether it’s a poem or an essay, takes a mental toll on us. Building a consistent, daily, mental training practice will reap rewards in the long term and transform the writing experience. Start today.
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