Training Tuesday with Tina: Awareness

First Step-- Awareness

Oftentimes when we are setting a goal for ourselves, whether it is a short term or long term goal, we tend to aimlessly make goals without considering our current state. Where are we at in the current process?

Having self awareness from our past, present and the hopeful future (these are our goals) will help us be more realistic with setting goals and also create the suitable action to follow.

Specifically when it comes to training for races like the half or full marathons, we first have to acknowledge our current state of fitness. Are we starting from scratch or are we somewhere in the middle of our training process?

Knowing this will ultimately set you up for success and help you determine the proper action to take in your training process. Belief determines action. When we have a goal and analyze our current selves we then can create a plan. 

Although, it is important to know that self awareness doesn’t stop there. Being mindful of yourself during the entire training process is crucial. Why? Because we often do not consider all the factors and stresses of life that contribute to the way we may perform. We also have a way of creating narrow goals for ourselves that can often hinder our greatest potential.

For instance, have you ever set a specific time goal like this: "I want to race a 20:15 in the 5k” 

We all have done it but it often corners us to have no room for growth. So, instead of making a specific time goal and stating what you want to do, phrase your goals in present tense. This actually creates a chemical reaction in the brain. 

When we talk to ourselves in our heads we are often creating belief habits. Whether it is good or bad, we create internal belief patterns by the words we choose to use. 

“I am a sub 20:15 5k runner” vs “ I want to race…” is much more powerful. 

Constantly being aware of where we are at in our training block and how we are phrasing our words in our own heads can help guide us to the next step. It also helps us indicate if we need to adjust our goals.

Having more self awareness also helps us to acknowledge that our body is asking for different things at different times. Some days are heftier than others and other weeks can be much more demanding.

Considering all parts of the puzzle will give us the proper instruction on where we need to be taking the next step in our training. These factors include workload, how we are coping with stress, sleeping habits, where our emotional state is and other daily life contributing factors.

---Challenge for this week----

Have a realistic talk with yourself on where you are at in your own training process.

- What are your goals and where do you need to make some changes?

- Are your goals big enough or do you need to maybe reevaluate?

- What are the proper steps you need to take in order to reach your full potential?

- How am I phrasing my goals? Am I using the " I am" statements or do I need to switch up my mental talk?

Need help in a training plan or simply need some questions answered? We have you covered!

Send me an email: tina@hofmarathon.com