Hello and... WHITE RABBITS!
Here I am... not in the Corner, but sitting quietly musing...The last Catch Up Corner post was all about the Three As...Acknowledge, Accept and Adapt...
I've had a fair few messages asking for a link to the original Three A post , so, here it is.
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Re reading that post... at this current time and in the position I am in, it does seem very relevant. Many of the things that we apply to our running is so relevant to our lives too; they are almost interchangeable... and the rules and strategies we implement for ourselves can help in both scenarios.
As loads of you know, Mr OF had a heart attack last Wednesday...he is home and is doing well... and he and I will be getting some walks in together as he builds his strength up again. Thank you for all your supportive messages too x
I am going through a tricky time right now as I have been having a few anxiety and panic attacks.. something I have suffered with in past years. Massive overthinking and over worry. So... I am really having to take on board loads of my own advice... use the support strategies from previous occasions and...
Work on those THREE As !!
Take on board also... that every finishing line is a new starting line... and although things are a bit unsettled right now, and runs are not possible...they and I will wait.... we will be patient, and we will get there!
So..... here is a bit of that Original post...I am using it to relate to the NOW that is mine currently!
“I have been thinking. Probably a tad too much, which has brought on these musings. I have read a lot of your posts this week and am in awe, as ever, of the way you are moving through C25K, either for the first time, or as a repeat, Following the plan and taking each week as it comes. You are doing brilliantly!
But as ever, also, we have quite a few, worried posts.
These are very, very uncertain times for us all, and for us as runners, there is a long, long list of things which may be impacting negatively, on our runs and taking some of the enjoyment out of this great plan!
We may worry about the pandemic, the news, bad weather, illness and family; about not being good enough to run, not running fast enough or far enough, and even, failing ultimately.
So what are we able to do? Well, I was lying in bed thinking, and I came up with three words.
Acknowledge
Accept
Adapt
Having had those pop into my head, what followed was;
Acknowledge + Accept + Adapt = NOW
Weird eh? But to me it makes perfect sense.
We are in a situation, and basically, that is it.( Here that situation is our running). The situation is as it is, we are doing what we are doing, and overthinking, and over-worrying is going to change that, not a jot.
How then do we handle it ? Well, those three words may help to make it simple.
Look at the photograph.
I acknowledge that it is wet and cold ( rainy and foggy too) .
I accept that I need to run.
I adapt to the fact, by wearing my wet weather gear, and I run.
Now.
So, applying the three words here;
If you are following C25K , whether at Week 1, Week 5 or Week 9, it is simple; you just follow the plan.
You acknowledge the plan that is C25K.
You accept that each run will move you onto the next and to Graduation.
You adapt, to wind and weather and to any obstacle that may occur, but always confident in the knowledge that you will move on at some point.
This is running in the NOW.
The Now is the thing .
You take each run as it comes.
It's all about being focused; on each run, acknowledging the run, accepting what is happening, ( good or bad), and adapting.
I don't want to use words like mindfulness, or in the moment, but I suppose it is a bit like that.
It's about each run and the NOW of that run.
Each run may have similarity in the now, but in some the, now will be different.
Is this making any sense to anyone?
Yesterday, I was in a situation, not a running one but a very tricky one. It all resolved, but I think that was where all this kicked off.
I suddenly realised, that what happened, in that sort of situation, was going to be a permanent thing, which would always happen, so, I acknowledged, I have not accepted, yet... that is going to be hard, but I will and I will then, adapt.
Some runs will be like that. E.g.
There may be pain or a twinge, so, acknowledge,( listen to your body)
I landed awkwardly, the ground is lumpy, accept.
Ease back, take it gently and stretch well, post run, adapt.
The more difficult time to do this, will be if you become distracted.
Try to just focus on you, your body, and your mind too, on your run...be aware of you, running in the now.
Let thoughts come, and they will come, thoughts about speed, distance, style or pace, it's perfectly natural, but then, let them go, or label them and put them in your memory jar and then try to re-focus again on you and your run.
If this has made any sense at all to any to you, the message here is, for all of us, not just our new runners, positivity not negativity, trying not to over-think or over-worry, trusting in the plan and believing in yourself. “
End of original post....
The message too here for me, now and I feel, maybe for some of you, is, that all this can be applied to our personal situations...with the same success as with our running …. perfect!
Happy, safe running, everyone.
Oldfloss x
) He seems to have a very similar philosophy to your own. He talks about you being the runner who is running today, not the one who was running yesterday, and not the one who will be running tomorrow. He talks about running at a comfortable effort. He talks about being patient. I no longer use music when I run, I now much prefer the philosophical words of wisdom from the coach, and the silent periods of reflection in between. I no longer want the constant rhythme of music trying to dictate my pace. I want to run at the appropriate effort level for how I feel, the distance I'm running, and where I'm running. You are so right that learning this way to think about your running reads accross very well for your approacch to life in general. I agree with your approach 100% Coach OldFloss, coach Lucien (NRC France), coach Bennet? (NRC England?) , fonts of wisdom for a contented life.
AGING AND RUNNING
What is "natural" running??
