On Mental Toughness - A Turning Point in Training

 

Saturday's forecast called for rain all day. Prior to training for the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K, I would have felt more lax about going out and getting in miles in the pouring rain. While there can be flexibility for a training plan, there can be no excuses! 

We decided to go to Jamaica Pond where we have memories of training for the 2009 Boston Marathon; where Bill Rodgers did his training runs for Boston. There were plenty of parking spaces available and a path with only a few other brave souls getting in a run or walking their dogs. Ruth Anne decided that she needed to get in a good tempo run and would run in the opposite direction from Tom and me. We were blessed that the predicted strong head winds did not accompany the rain. I wore an older pair of running shoes although I was excited to try out my new pair of Ghost Max kicks but since they are white, I didn't want to get them soaked and caked with mud.

We focused on the beauty of Jamaica Pond and the current in the water created by the raindrops.

We high fived with Ruth Anne as she ran 11 minute miles with negative splits for 5 miles. She is a warrior after a 7 week hospitalization and ongoing medication changes in the wake of a very serious UTI that caused neuropsychiatric symptoms. Tom and Ruth Anne are training for the LA Marathon in March.

She did her cool down while Tom and I finished our 5.5 miles. I really wanted to call it at 4.5 miles with the rationale that I had just done 4.5 miles on Sunday so this would be my 2nd long run in a week. But something switched on within me. Rather than feeling the discomfort of my soaking wet feet and the chill I felt from the rain, I focused on the strength and resilience of Team McManus. We have weathered so many storms in our lives. We keep moving forward. I heard a voice within me say, "Just keep going."

 

I did just that! I was amazed that the intermittent knee pain I'd been experiencing was gone despite my soaking wet pants and needing to push on through the inclement weather. There was a sense of being fully present in my body yet beyond my body. I felt as though there was nothing in my tank yet simultaneously I felt a strength and a fierceness as I kept going until my Garmin hit 5.5 miles. I am so exhilarated that I did not quit before 5.5 miles. It was a turning point in my training for the 10K. It was the first time since 2018 that I ran longer than a 5K in downpours. I remember when we ran 11 miles and were soaked to the skin. We could have traded our run day with Sunday's strength training day but know that mental toughness comes with miles in the rain. It turned out to be a sunny and warm Sunday. We enjoyed the enormous sense of satisfaction that came with crushing those miles in the rain when we trained for the Bermuda Half Marathon.

On Saturday, I drew inspiration from running in the rain quotes I've used:

 

 

 

 

 

I was so grateful that I had prepared a big pot of Spanish Bean Stew, a vegan stew chock full of flavors and nutrients that was simmering on the stove. The house smelled delicious as we peeled off our layers and got into a hot shower. I was tired and sore yet felt invigorated by having weathered the weather to run 5.5 miles!

Whatever the weather may be on race day, I now know that I have the mental toughness to push through. I am, however, focusing on manifesting amazing weather for Race Weekend. 

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

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