Have you ever given it a thought, that achieving fitness goals is as much mental strength as it is physical strength? If you are not an active person, when last did you attempt something physical? Like walking the dog or even something a bit more strenuous than that, like riding a bicycle or going for a run. How do you feel afterwards? Good? Tired? Well, imagine someone just like you one day decided to do it again, and again, and again, until he reaches ultimate fitness. Yes, even the professional sportsman was once an amateur. So let’s look at the difference between amateur and that professional.
It all starts with a single choice. Yes, it is that simple. Make the choice. Start. Get off the couch and go! Set the goal. Plan it. Adapt. Focus. Commit. Enjoy the journey. Reap the rewards.
Determine why you want to embark on a fitness journey. The ‘why’ is the very thing that will carry you through the challenging times. Do it for reasons beneficial to you, your body and your health. Do proper goal setting and planning. You need to plan the same way you would plan a trip. You need to know your destination when going on a trip, don’t you? You also need to know which routes you are going to follow and how long it might take. Then focus. Focus on the goal. Focus on the benefits. Create a picture in your mind of yourself already there, already successful. Experience the rewards of the success and goals you achieved. Stay focussed on that. Commit to you goal at all cost. Most important is to enjoy the journey. You are now doing this for yourself, for the right reasons, so have fun and enjoy every step. Then your rewards will be priceless.
Another very important aspect is to believe in yourself. Do you realise that by believing in yourself, you are already halfway there?! You just have to believe that you are capable. The smallest amount of doubt in yourself and you should rather not even embark on this journey! Keep telling yourself what you would tell your best friend when he/she needs inspiration. Your self-talk is one thing that can undeniably make or break you. Your subconscious mind is always listening, so say the things that will keep you going!
What will keep you on track? Let me tell you, one thing and one thing only:
MENTAL ENDURANCE
Someone who certainly aced mental endurance and stamina is without a doubt running legend Bennie Roux. Bennie has been a serious runner for many years and I had the privilege to ask him a few questions.
Let’s look at some of Bennie’s remarkable achievements:
His first highlight - 2012 Comrades, his first Silver medal 7h28
Winning the 2012 Skyrun 65km
Winning the 2014 Namaqua 120km 4 day trail race
Winning the 2014 and 2015 Wolkberg 60km 2 day trail race
Winning the 2016 Addo 168km trail
Many people just don’t stick to any activity for a long period of time. When asked Bennie, why this is different for him, this was his reply:
“I used to hate running, but somehow I got addicted to the endorphins that gets released in endurance training. When I take a break from running I get withdrawal symptoms. I also started running competitively, so the more constant you train the better your results on races. It is a win-win situation.”
Bennie furthermore stay focussed on small attainable goals. Even if it is just to complete the planned training for the day, he promises himself a reward when I get home, anything from a chocolate milkshake to a beer or some wine. Long term motivation is a bit more work, and as previously mentioned, in his mind he time travels to the start of the big race like Comrades; normally when you stand at the start of a race you wish you were better prepared and trained, he then travels back and say to himself, here you are now, train harder NOW.
When looking at his Addo-win – I wanted to take a peek in his mind to share with me how one human run 168km trail, through the night, in the dark, for 21 hours AND win? From the Champion himself:
“We don’t know our limits, and I’m on a quest to find these limits. I guess once you have a dream and you work towards that dream, anything is possible, even double that distance! You do learn a lot about yourself over the years, you know when to go hard and when to take it easy and most importantly when to stop! I haven’t found the ‘when to stop’ yet!”
What keeps Bennie inspired is that he wants to leave a legacy behind for his children and their children and even after that. He finds a great amount of inspiration form inspiring other people. Also the fact that he is able to run, inspires him to run for those who can’t; those who are in wheelchairs, sick, weak or simply unable to run.
Bennie simply does not let challenges or low-times manifest in his mind. Simply push forward and stay focussed. This is a very valuable mind set to install in yourself and can possibly make the difference between you and the competitor next to you. This pattern will certainly make it a lot easier to commit to- and stay focused on your goal. Don’t you think?
More valuable advice from Bennie is to use small goals to see you through to the finish line. He used inevitable, extreme conditions like darkness to create feelings of strength and embracing himself all alone with his ability to conquer.
Motion creates emotion. Not only will you grow physically stronger, you will also experience different emotions that will lead you to mental and emotional growth. Do what you have to do to obtain emotional support, as emotional strength will only serve you better in future. Bennie used loud messages from his family to support him emotionally during his 21-hour race. When he prepared mentally and physically for such a ‘life-highlight-race’, Bennie depended a lot on the support of his family and friends. This highlights the importance of a strong supporting structure with people that believe in you, as much as you believe in yourself, as an integral part in mental endurance.
According to Bennie, being so mentally strong, serve you extremely well in your everyday life. When you are conquering something that previously seemed impossible, just imagine how you will handle everyday challenges. You create a believe system for yourself that ‘nothing can be worse than that big challenge and if I could conquer that, you can easily deal with smaller challenges.’ That is the very definition of being ‘mentally fit’!
This is some valuable words of wisdom that we can take from Bennie:
“Live your dream whatever it may be, if your dreams don’t scare you a little you are not dreaming big enough. Live NOW!!! You can make money when you are 60 years old, but at that age you might be too weak to run a 100 miler.”
When considering an outdoor sporting activity, embrace your ability and enjoy nature.
Be grateful every step of the way for the beautiful privilege to embark on a life-changing journey.
Allow yourself to grow and get ‘mentally fit’.
Remember to always reward yourself properly for your efforts and successes and be proud of yourself and what you achieved.
Article by ~ Liné Nel