Still Running (weakly). Issue 88

PAST – inspiration – “We were doing 5 times 800 metres on grass,” said Glen Grant, recalling a session with Steve Ovett at a British Milers Club weekend in the early 70s. Grant, who was 18 at the time, went on to become a sub-four-minute miler and British international middle-distance runner. Ovett was two years younger.

“I led for the first 4 in about 2:08. On the fifth, Ovett took off into a different world, running something like 1:53, while I did 2:05.”

Later, in his prime, Ovett completed his coach Harry Wilson’s session of 200/400/600 with 30 seconds rest between, at a speed of 25 seconds per 200. That is 1:40 800 pace, of course – and the world record even now is only 1:40.91. He hit 25 and 50, but then said, “I can’t do it, Harry, I really can’t do it.” “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go,” intoned Wilson sympathetically, and off he went, running 76 (not the target 75!)

Still, he did win Olympic 800, European 1500 and Commonwealth 5000 gold medals.

PRESENT – perspiration – I was chatting to a Professor of Psychology the other day (these are the sort of circles I move in!) and he was telling me about the ‘bleep test’ experiments he did in schools.

This is where the victim – er, the student – runs backwards and forwards between markers, reaching them by the next ever-accelerating bleep, until they cannot keep up.

He said that the results today were far worse than those seen 20, 30 or more years ago. I asked him why. And here, I know, we are in danger of sounding generationally misogynistic.

“The research shows us,” he said, “that, when interviewed afterwards and asked why they stopped, the most common response was, ‘because it started to hurt’.”

FUTURE – suggestion – Which brings us to the question: how do we runners push ourselves through pain? Is this something we are born with, or can we train ourselves to accept more discomfort?

I believe that some people are better predisposed to deal with discomfort – either genetically or through childhood experience – but I also believe that we can all develop a greater tolerance if we put our minds to it.

And it is all a question of your mind. Paavo Nurmi (Finland, 9 Olympic golds, 3 silvers, 1920-28) said, “Mind is everything. Muscles – pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind.”

So…. In the middle of a race or hard training run, how do you persuade yourself to push on – to run harder or simply not to quit?

You can tell yourself that this pain is temporary. Think how good you’ll feel when you finish this well. You can ask your body to just get through the next mile (until you are near enough to the finish that you can then convince yourself to get there!) You can bargain with yourself – just do this and you’ve got a rest day tomorrow. You could even tell yourself that it’s a privilege to be in the ‘pain cave’ because not everyone can get there.

If you make these positive choices often enough, you develop a greater tolerance for this pain.

But, in the end, I believe it comes down to your target. Remind yourself of your goal: if it is compelling enough, you should be able to take the temporary pain for the permanent pride in reaching it. I really want that time, finish, medal, podium place, so I am prepared to do this to get there.

I also believe that your warmup – a vital physical preparation in itself of course – is a great time to remind yourself of your goal, how hard you’ve worked for it, what you’ve sacrificed, and how much it would mean.

Then, when the going does get tough, you can more easily tap into that well of motivation.