This article is about pushing your mind out of the picture so your body can do what it wants to do - compete faster.

This article will answer questions such as:

What is mind tweaking? What is Flow? What is Pseudo-Flow?
What is your E-mind? L-mind? CS-mind?
What is “stopping the mind”?
How can I go to the next level of competition?
What is Vipassana meditation? How can it help you have “flow”?

This article will not answer questions such as:

If I eat 80% carbohydrates, 10% fat and 10% protein is that the proper ratio for competitive running?

Is your mind limiting you while you’re exercising and going for gold?

Mine does. Or rather, it tries to.

I’m not a competitive runner or cyclist anymore. Now I run every other day and I don’t have my road racing bicycle or membership at the local Olympic swimming pool where I used to spend many hours each week. My days as a triathlete are over (for now) and yet I’m still going through some mental gymnastics on most of the days I run hard.

I’m running for fun now, but there was a time when I was running for the money so to speak. I was training for 3 - 9 hours per day over the course of two years. I entered running races, bicycle races (roadie), and biathlons and triathlons if they were close enough to swing logistically. I would work the overnight shift at a senior care home and then drive 2 hours in my Jeep to make it to the starting line by 8 am. I was dog-tired before some of those races because I wasn’t quite conditioned to the overnight work schedule. Yet I was still able to compete because I refused to accept my mind telling me “The Body” was tired or that it wasn’t so smart to be racing after a night of no sleep.

In fact, whenever my emotional mind (E-mind) tells me it’s stupid because it can’t be done or really shouldn’t be done - I MAKE MYSELF do it. I want to show this part of my mind, along with the common-sense part of my mind (CS-mind) - which IS small sometimes, that little things are of no consequence really. I won’t bow to common sense all the time or to mind-blocks thrown up by the E-mind - ever. I won’t let these parts of the mind process beat me.

I take it personally!

It’s funny, but I really see it that way!

I refuse to let those two things slow down my plans for exercise.

Later I get into Vipassana meditation and how it applies to exercise. Vipassana meditation where there is just a focus on breathing is an
incredible activity. I’ve written some about it in the free e-book I offer here at the site - and if you’re interested in knowing more than
that - either stay tuned for more as I write over these next few weeks,or read the free e-book and write me with questions or comments. I’d
be glad to help you any way possible.

Now I’ll talk a little about the relationship that I have with “the mind” and it’s parts…

“E-Mind” is the emotional part of the mind. It’s the one that fears things. It’s the one that wants to slow down any attempts to do something that is out of the ordinary or that will require a great deal of effort, whether physical, emotional, or social. The

“CS-Mind” is the part of the mind that relates to common sense. I’ve
been known for a lack of it sometimes, and when others see it and point
it out to me it’s usually very surprising. I see the BIG PICTURE and I
don’t see the common-sense details all the time. The CS-mind helps me
and yet it also is on the E-mind’s side quite a bit so I need to take
control over it often with the L-mind.

The “L-Mind” is the part which is logical. It’s the part that is closest to who I think “I” am. It’s almost “the me” but it’s more like the part that must analyze everything and make decisions that are based on the evidence collected. It’s the part that basically rules me unless the emotional or common sense side is in control for a short while. The L-mind is the part that I want to handle things because I don’t trust the other two parts - they are too unpredictable.

“The me” is the sum total of who I am. It includes all the parts of the mind, as well as “The Body”.

“The Body” is, of course, everything related to the body and how it feels. The L-mind is always monitoring the body, but so too is the E-mind. Sometimes they have conflicting opinions. CS-mind might add it’s point of view at that stage. L-mind usually listens but during certain activities it tries hard not to. Running or other intense physical exercise where I’m pushing myself to some limit is one of those types of activities.

L-mind is well versed at manipulating the other parts of the mind. It knows little tricks. These little tricks to overcome something… some obstacle, I call “tweaks”. Mind tweaks are those mental gymnastics that the L-mind must do to get around the resistance from the E-mind and CS-mind, and sometimes “The Body” to get things accomplished in a way that will bring personal satisfaction, joy, bliss, accomplishment and success.

Sometimes mind tweaks are overt and sometimes covert. Sometimes ignoring the other parts of the mind makes the most sense and L-mind chooses that tactic.

If you’re a serious athlete or any kind of athlete that pushes yourself sometimes in a time-trial against yourself or in a race - no difference. If you’re focused on getting better results all the time and you’re running up against a performance barrier that doesn’t seem to be falling down… this article might help you.

I’ve been running all my life. It started with 12 years in soccer as a kid growing up and I never stopped for more than a few months since. I’m now 41.

I’m a really logical person. There is very little I do that is based on emotion. Logic rules me and I feel good like that. I can be emotional, very emotional - but logic drives me all day. I really get revved up about doing things efficiently and producing something of value. Those are the things that drive me.

Never mind that I have attention deficit disorder (ADD) to such a high level that it’d turn Houdini into a quivering mass of disorientation.

I refuse to take medication for it as I’ve survived this long, I’m still alive, I’ve tasted success many times during life, and life is, in general quite interesting. There’s always SOMETHING new to pay attention to when you have ADD!

And maybe that’s part of the problem while I’m running.

The L-mind is always active. It’s always monitoring things. When I’m writing - like now - the L-mind is monitoring the spelling of every word. It’s judging whether I’m chugging along fast enough to be able to write a 5000 word article by the time this internet cafe closes (I’m in Thailand at the moment). It’s also monitoring 10 other things going on nearby. The boy and girl chatting at the table 20 meters away… the guy washing dishes behind me… the music on the radio… the email popping into my gmail box… the comfort of my seat, the birds I hear through the open windows… the wind and whether it might mean rain coming soon - I’m on my motorbike so I’d need to either hunker down somewhere or get back to the room quickly.

When I’m exercising the L-mind is studying every single action that is going on with the body. It’s feeling each movement and gathering bio-feedback from “The Body”. Unfortunately the E-mind is getting it too.

I wish there was a way to knock out the E-mind completely for hours at a time. The E-mind part of the brain is the one that tells me that I’m maybe going too fast and I’m going to pull something. It tells me that there’s no rush, run again tomorrow or later in the day… don’t push it too hard - something bad will happen.

It, along with the common sense mind (CS-mind) tell me things like, “there’s moss on that sidewalk - and you can feel you’re slipping a bit, what if you fall and tear a ligament? Or, “What if you twist your ankle on all these broken sticks laying all over the path after the summer storm yesterday?”, and, “It’s dark, is that a snake? You know there are many different kinds of poisonous snakes here in Thailand…”

I don’t know if any of you reading are like this - or if you notice it. I think you must have this little monologue running through your heads too as you’re exercising. I’d hate to think I’m a weirdo on this. But, my brain is constantly in this “fear mode” when I’m running or exercising hard and pushing hard - over 85%.

The E-mind is paying too much attention to fear.

The logical part (L-mind) is watching without emotion or reaction to the variables - but it’s monitoring them and when something really IS worth paying attention to it will make some adjustments.

Now, when I’m running the logical side is monitoring breathing and it’s counting in and out-breaths in relation to how many times the feet are hitting the concrete or path.

Logically I know that 4 strides for an in-breath and 4 for an out-breath is a nice easy 60% (or less) of maximum effort and I can go at that for quite a while without any trouble. In fact, I could go like that for 2 hours if I wanted. I don’t see any point in long, slow, distance (LSD) training like that for me now - and so I don’t do 4/4 for any length of time… 10 minutes to warm up and see how things are going.

I know that 3/3 - 3 strides for an in-breath and 3 strides during an out-breath is medium effort but still on the low end. I’m at about 70-75% of max when I’m at that breathing rate.

When I hit 2/2 that’s a pretty big range of effort considering it can be 75-100% of maximum.

I have hit 1/1 but usually it’s after I stop as it’s hard to breathe that fast and run at the same time for me!

I usually have to tweak the mind a bit when I get into the 2/2 range - and especially at anything over 85% of maximum effort.

There are some days though that I am “flowing”… it appears as if there is no mind and I am only “The Body”. The Body is flowing without the mind - and there is no thought really, just a unfathomable concentration on what the body is doing. The focus is totally on the present and it’s not a form of zoning out - it’s a form of just zoning IN and being entirely present with what the body is doing - without the mind at all except a feeling of smoothness or fluidity. It’s an incredible state that happens when it wants, there’s no making it happen consistenly - but you know what?

I know some of you know this state. It happens to great athletes quite a bit. They have practiced their movements during whatever it is that they’re doing - so that it becomes second nature… they get into the flow quite a bit and have these incredible peak experiences that most of us dream about. Their peak experiences are the top in the world, but that doesn’t mean as mortal men and women we can’t have some darn good ones too!

Here’s a small secret…

there IS a way to make it happen sometimes.

More about that in a minute.

There are a couple little mind tweaks I might implement over the course of a run. Actually, it can begin before the run.

The E-mind might be whining about something. It doesn’t want to go running. It knows already there is no question about whether running is going to take place today. It IS going to happen. Yet, the whining emotional mind continues with small reminders that it’s not really with the plan. It might bring up some alternatives to running that sound quite attractive. Pizza dinner. Writing more articles for Aim for Awesome! Sex.

Usually I focus on something else on the agenda for the day that I must do and E-mind sort of disappears quietly into the background. I don’t give any more thought to the emotional mind. I don’t pay it any attention and it won’t come back until we’re at the park to run.

So, that’s mind tweak number 1. Ignore any protests from the E-mind by refocusing on something else. It can be anything if the protests are weak. You could just start getting your shoes on and up the ante… you had planned on going at 5:30 pm but since the E-mind is whining already you’re going to go an hour earlier because you really don’t want to be dealing with it for a whole hour while you try to get other things done. That’s a good way to shut it up the next time, and I actually found that the mind does very little of this type of mild protest whining before we go running anymore. In fact, usually there is nothing at all.

Many people have doubts about running or exercise before they go, and the E-mind ends up talking them out of the activity! I can’t let that happen! Neither can you, apply mind tweak number 1 or 2 quickly.

The emotional mind must realize that it’s NEVER in control when it comes to logical things. Running is a logical thing. It’s emotional only when winning a race or doing especially well - and that’s at the end of the race when some emotion pours forth - spontaneously.

And that’s great stuff! I love that.

There is no negative protesting from the emotional part of the brain that I’m going to listen to before a run unless it deals with the body itself complaining about not being 100%.

I do listen to that. After many years of running I have a good idea what an injury feels like before it happens. I usually know when I can take some aspirin and run though it. I usually know about how much to push myself during a run that the body isn’t 100% on. I usually know how much time I can exercise without pulling something. I also know the signs of an impending injury when the pain increases slowly - but at a greater rate than it was prior.

If you’re a runner or other athlete that regularly pushes your body you will probably have a good sense for how “The Body” feels and when it’s a good idea to listen to it too. Some people never get a good idea about it - and they continue to push, when they shouldn’t. They’re usually injured because their logical mind doesn’t listen to “The Body” or the emotional mind - which will kick in too, and loudly once it realizes there WILL be an injury unless the exercise is halted immediately.

So, always listen to various parts of the mind if they’re talking about “The Body” and evaluate. Err on the side of caution and over-protection so you keep yourself from getting injured. It’s easy to say, but when you’re motivated to run and to succeed and excel at what you’re doing it can be quite a hard thing to listen to the E-mind telling you “Um, Vern? ‘The Body’ is not 100%”. Because when I hear that the first thing I say is - “You’re NEVER 100%, now let’s pull it together and do this!”. Well, now that’s the 2nd thing I say because I’ve been injured so much.

The first thing I do in this case is take a good look at the pain, if I’m exercising I might stop and see what makes it worse. Does it go away when I stop? Does it feel like a tightening? A knot? A sharp pain? Sharp pains rarely get better if you continue. Dull pains of some sorts just go away as you loosen up. Calf muscles are like this. Sometimes I sit for 12 hours at a computer, and then 10 the next day before I go running. My legs have atrophied from doing absolutely nothing but trips to the restroom some days!

Calves are still an area where I pull something every now and then. Groin too. I tend to have a longer stride when I run fast - perhaps too long, and that pulls something occasionally.

Anyway… so, the next mind tweak I’ll describe is put into play as I’m running.

I’m at a 3/3 breathing level. 3 steps as I breathe in and 3 as I breathe out. I have slowly ramped up from a 4/4 and now I’ve been at 3/3 for about 15 minutes or so - depending on the run.

I notice that the body wants to go faster - into the 2/2 range. This is also the range where the L-mind and E-mind start getting revved up because now we’re doing some speed. There’s something to be proud of at this point. This is what control and power is all about when I run. I love to feel that - all systems are go and we just kicked the body into hardcore. This is a great state to be in and the one that I try to keep the body in for as long as possible before dropping back down to a 3/3.

The E-mind though excited, is more fearful than it is good at just savoring the bliss. It will question the logic of increasing speed. “Does the body REALLY feel that good?” It asks. “Is it safe to push that hard right now? How is the heart? Pulse? Breathing? Calves? Toes? Are the shoes on the right snugness? Are your socks too wet - will you get a blister? Is it too hot? Could heat stroke happen?”

And so - it goes through these questions - sometimes one, sometimes many. Sometimes the L-mind, in an attempt to appease it will just patiently answer all the questions. Once they’re all satisfactorily answered the L-mind gives the order to “The Body” to start after-burners.

That’s mind tweak number 2. Exhaust all questions about whether “we’re” ready to increase speed and go hard. By exhaustively answering the questions, the L-mind gets the greenlight because the E-mind has nothing left to ask. This is a good tweak if there really might be a possibility that it isn’t a good idea to crank at the present time.

Mind tweak number 3 can be implemented during the same kind of run… going from 3/3 to a 2/2 level. The emotional mind starts to build the list of questions… the logical mind - being so in-tune with the body KNOWS that all systems are go - and it’s time to take it to the next level… the E-mind will just ignore totally all questions and instantly increase the speed effectively killing all questions from the E-mind.

Ignoring all the questions in mind tweak 3 tends to put the mind in a state of quiet. As the body goes into the high-speed 2/2 mode the mind is watching all systems like a virus scanner watches the computer. It’s watching to see if there is any serious problem with anything in the system. There is usually not much thought at ALL at this point.

This is the experience of “being” the exercise when there is no mind present. There aren’t any thoughts of yesterday, tomorrow, or your spouse. You literally ARE the exercise. You ARE running or you ARE bicycling. You are only that. You are focused entirely on the doing and there is nothing else.

When this happens it’s a good thing needless to say. This is sometimes referred to as being in the flow - but to me there is more to being in the flow than just this. For me this state of being the exercise occurs during every run or intense exercise. The “flow” does not. It happens occasionally. For me true flow happens 1-2 times per week but usually only a handful of times each month.

I found recently that I can initiate the flow to some degree. When I do it I call it “pseudo-flow”. I’m not sure how close it is to the original, or how valid it is since it’s kind of a manipulation of mind to get there - but, it is a flow of some sort that I can’t distinguish from regular flow in terms of performance. However, the factors that brought it on are different (forced) and the feelings or lack of them are different during the experience.

I’ll try to explain.

First a little bit about natural flow.

The natural flow happens on it’s own. There is almost no thought if I’m running and in the true flow. Sometimes it even kind of starts before I even start running. During a run where flow is present there is a natural slow buildup to speed and an easy, effortless switch into high gear that is blissful and not painful or negative in any way. It is pure experience and yet it’s experience at a very high level - the body is functioning in a way that feels effortless. There may be a numbness to the body… and yet the eyes are taking in the speeds that are being reached, so though the eyes and logical mind know something incredible is happening, “The Body” and the E-mind are kind of subdued - they are almost numb too. It’s like dopamine numbing the mind and yet one is fully present and aware of all that’s happening.

It’s a state of bliss because there is no thought, only direct experience and amazingly efficient and fast exercise without realizing that it’s taking bodily or mental effort. There are some feelings that go along with true flow though. It’s a feeling of being in a peak experience. It’s a bliss or a feeling of great competence, of being a master of the activity. It’s like I feel as if I’m slippery through the water when I’m swimming, I’m making exactly the right strokes with my arms and my hands feel the water perfectly as I push it to propel me forward. Or, if running, it’s as if I’m so light on my feet and yet I’m flying really fast. I’m breathing fast and regularly but it’s a perfect state of existence during the run - my body is a perfect machine and there is no pain or negative that exists during it.

“Flow” can exist in many things. It exists with activity that requires thought - writing for instance. I might bang out a 10,000 word article straight through in 2 hours. It happens sometimes. I’m not sure what is going on - but there is such an efficiency achieved… a fluidity and an ease of producing great writing that it’s just about unexplainable.

Pianists talk of flow. Basketball players and golfers. Swimmers and football running backs.

Here’s how I initiate the pseudo-flow, as I call it.

Remember I told you about Vipassana meditation at the beginning of this article? Vipassana meditation can slow the mind down over time and one can actually reach a point where the mind can actually STOP. Well, it can stop all the thoughts in the mind. The mind becomes so at peace that thought ceases. It’s an incredible state that could never be explained with words, yet I often try to. If you are interested you can read the free e-book here and if you’re more interested you can try it for yourself. It may take months to reach a point where you’re able to reach a silent mind or a mind that has stopped all thought.

I think if you follow the steps I’ve outlined you CAN though. It happened to me in a short time of meditating. It wasn’t long before I could do it any time I chose. For instance, as I’m writing this I can stop the mind and though I can’t type I am fully aware of everything that is going on around me. I am just living pure experience without relying on memory or the mind chatter that asks me questions, names things, and accesses memory and fear about the future. It’s a great state to live from and it’s said that perhaps those that are enlightened live in this state 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.

I’m not sure about that, but I do know that it’s been an incredible tool to have over the years.

I use it to analyze anger, frustration, any emotion that pops up… any attachment that leads to disappointment. I use it to relax. It is incredibly relaxing in that state. Some claim to not need sleep if they just lie in bed in that state for a half hour or so every few hours. I believe it, though I’ve not tried it much more than a few days - and yes, I felt great without sleeping. Perfectly fine really. Doing it long-term I’m not sure about - but I think it must be possible.

How I use this to reach the pseudo-flow is like this…

Anytime I’m feeling very good and yet the mind is too active with questions and concerns about running or maybe even concerns that have nothing to do with running. Maybe I’m worried that I’ve screwed something up on my web site code that can’t easily be fixed… maybe I’m worried about a family member… it could be anything.

If I choose, I can stop all thought in the mind. I can shut off the thought.

When the thought shuts off - there is nothing that is distinguishing it from the true flow - except how I came about getting there and there is literally NO feeling about anything - no feeling of mastery or anything about feeling very efficient and competent. But there is no pain or fear either.

Later as one goes faster and faster without adding any more concerted effort, the feeling is one of bliss and yet it’s a little more moderated maybe. It’s a little less “feel good” because the mind is completely absent. There is a good feeling to be running… and there is no pain. There is no mental or physical effort that can be noticed, and yet one can run at maximum speed for a while before the breathing catches up and shuts the body down a bit - forcing a drop down to 90% effort for a few minutes before trying again if one wishes to.

There is less experience of “power” or “control” than with true flow because there aren’t thoughts to reinforce those feelings.

In a way it is nicer than pure flow because one is not happy or sad - just DOING. It is truly just doing, whereas “true flow” has some more recognition of the emotions that are present… Psychological needs are being fulfilled because one feels powerful, exuberant, in control, efficient, strong, balanced…

With pseudo-flow there is none of that going on emotionally. There is balance. There is peace. There is an effortless moving in a very efficient manner. There is a realization that this is “pseudo-flow” though there is no feeling of achievement for having done it - just a real zero-emotion state but one in which the body is operating at the same peak state as pure flow.

I should try some experiments on my own - but I think they’d be too subjective. I’d like to know - is there any difference in performance between the two types of flow. I think too hard to experiment with because the true flow just comes on when it wants and I’d not be able to tick off the distance or times and I probably wouldn’t even care to. Perhaps it would kick me out of the flow experience? Not sure.

I’ve not read of anyone else talking about this stuff and I’m surprised. Well, I am and I’m not. I’ve not met anyone else that can stop the mind at will, but I’m sure there are some. I’m SURE others can do it if they follow the steps in my e-book, though, to be honest, meditation is not such an easy thing to tackle. It’s hard work! It is very difficult to watch the mind time after time, watching thoughts, watching breath… to the point where the thought starts to slow and then stop.

Most people fuse religion with their meditation which heaps on expectations about the experiences one will have - this alters the whole process and actually puts more stumbling blocks in the way of the mind becoming quiet.

I’d like to hear from anyone that has tried this technique to compare thoughts and observations. Though it’s new to me and I think I’m the only one talking about it, on the other hand I realize that SOMEONE else has done this - so maybe they’ve got it online.

I’ll Google it and see what I can find!

As a technique to overcome e-mind and “just do it” so to speak, I don’t think there could be anything better. But, there might be, and I’d love to hear about it if you want to tell it!

As always, send email (AimforAwesome ~ at ~ gmail) or leave comments if you have any questions or comments about this article!

Best in Life!

.

Want to Start Running?

This article will answer questions like:

What is the start-up process that will give me the best chance of success if I want to start running?

What are some reasons people run?

Why does Vern run?

This article will not answer questions like:

Does “running away from something” count?

People start running for many reasons.

Most of them see running as a tool to keep them under a certain weight that they have in mind as a goal they have for themselves. Some people run to compete. Some people become runners to gain strength and endurance in other sports they’re playing since running has great cross-over benefits.

I’ve run most of my life. I’ve run for many reasons. My reasons have all changed over the years.

I’ve been running since I was 6. My parents signed me up for soccer and that set the stage for the next 12 years. I played on regular leagues during the summers and the fall. I grew up in Pennsylvania, so the winters were rest time. I’m so glad there was a rest time!

Up until 18 years old I just ran when I played soccer. I ran nearly every day. If it wasn’t practice it was a game. If it wasn’t a game, it was a basketball game or an indoor soccer game that some friends and I put together.

Running was an integral part of my life, though I was running for a reason before 18 years old - the soccer game.

In my twenties I became a triathlete and competed in many races including bicycle and swimming races. I loved exercise I guess because I had already become pretty good at it since I had 12 years of intense training. I loved the competition in my twenties.

In my thirties I ran to keep my weight down. I am 5′11″ and I my usual weight in my twenties was 165 lbs. In my thirties I crept up as high as 180 lbs and I didn’t feel too good about my self-concept. I ran to lose weight so I could keep eating pizza and spaghetti.

In my late thirties and now - early 40’s I asked myself why I’m still running every other day.

The answer surprised me.

I’m not running for health. I’m not running to lose weight. I’m down to 155 right now and feel great about body weight. I’m not running to compete… I haven’t raced in years. I’m not running to look good. I’m not running to avoid death by staying healthy. I’m not at all concerned about death anymore.

My answer to myself for “WHY” I was running was really surprising to me.

I’m running because when I run I feel a control that is entirely self-generated and self-perpetuating. I love control. We all do I guess, but I really love it. I’m not speaking of control over others - I really don’t like to exert my influence over others if they have no want to change. I am a horrible sales person. I don’t sell well. I sell myself well though.

I don’t like control over the person I love. In fact, I abhor it. I think that would be a horrible relationship in which I want to control what we did and when we did it, how much we did it… who we saw, what we ate, what movies we saw. That’s not a relationship to me.

The control I feel when I run is something entirely different. It is a very positive feeling. It is an experience where I have told myself what I’m going to do, I have scheduled it, and I am doing it. I am in control of my mind that has its own desires that sometimes show up right before I go running.…

Making myself run, insisting on running is a form of discipline I guess. I don’t accept the emotional mind’s excuses about the body being tired, a little bit sore, having better things to do… There is nothing better because I told myself I’m going to do it. I like to show my emotional mind that my logical mind is the boss. I don’t want to hear it whine about what else the body could be doing.

The body is running every other day - whether it’s raining or sunny, hot or cool. It’s running. That’s what we do every other day. There’s nothing to talk about - no questions, no excuses. The body is running on that schedule until I decide it isn’t. It’s not a decision that will be made before a run when the mind wants to bail out one time either. It needs made with some planning. I don’t think I’ll ever find a good reason to stop - so it’s likely to continue.

Beginning to Run

Starting to run is quite a game. I think I have a good way for you to get started if it’s what you want. As I said you can run for many reasons. You only need one.

Before I start to run on a schedule the body might not feel like it. In fact, it probably doesn’t. Why would it? It hasn’t been running prior for a little while and it needs some time to get into the routine - to condition the muscles, ligaments, tendons, breathing system and energy stores to meet the demand of running.

I like to trick the body and the mind into it.

If my logical mind told the “me” that I’m starting to run again naturally the emotional mind and the body will come up with excuses. I don’t listen. Instead, I convince the body and emotional mind that it’s nothing big. We’re not really going to run I tell them.

There’s not going to be any competition. We’re not running races. I’m not starting triathlons again! The body is relieved at this. The emotional mind doesn’t believe it - it’s been through this before.

I then tell them… We’re going for a walk in the park. That’s it. We’re walking. Any running that takes place is just a bonus. In fact, we’re NOT running unless everything is a green light and all three of us (logical mind, emotional mind, and body) are ready to go.

There’s no reason to run yet. We’re starting out. We start out walking. Regardless if the logical mind wants to run 3-5 miles immediately like it used to, we are just walking the first couple times.

“So - going to the park is not in question. We’re going.”

But, whether we run much - that IS a question. And, it doesn’t really matter since the logical part of my mind already won the game by making us all go to the park when I said we were going to. The logical mind is in control and that makes it happy. It’s good for me to keep this part of the mind happy since it seems to be the one that is most responsible for my state of mind. My “smarts” is where my talent is. My logical ability is the best feature of all three parts of the “me”. I need to nurture it and make it smile more than the other parts.

We Arrive at the Park
(My logical mind, my emotional mind, and my body)

We stretch a little bit. We see how the body is feeling. Stretching the quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, back, lower back, groin, triceps… swing the arms a bit as if I’m warming up for swimming… I take an inventory of the body as I’m stretching lightly. If there is some pain or a lot of tightness in the legs or even in the neck - I’ll likely just walk that day regardless how good I feel as I get into it. No sense pulling anything. Just starting out you can expect to pull some muscle, nerve, ligament… something - unless you’re very careful and attentive to the body.

I make the body GO somewhere, but I don’t make it do something if it’s not ready. Likewise when I was competing - I was very aware of every little pain in my legs, arms, back, neck. A little pain can quickly become a major pain that knocks you out of the running game for 2 weeks or more. Then you need to start all over. Re-motivate yourself. That should be avoided.

So we’re at the park and we start walking. When I’m first starting out I go to a place where there are very few people. Usually there is nobody around. That’s good for a couple reasons.

Number 1 - I am embarrassed that I’m not running 6 minute miles anymore. I’m running like 11 minute miles I’m guessing. That’s what it feels like. I’m not sure what it is exactly because I’ve never timed myself running so slow - what’s the point?! I know I’m doing grandpa miles and I don’t want anyone to see me doing no better than a senior citizen.

Number 2 - I am walking. Sometimes I’m running. I’m running until I don’t feel that it’s fun anymore and then I’m walking until my logical mind makes the body and emotional mind realize that there’s really no reason to not keep running. It’s FUN. There is nobody around to be critiquing my progress. I like that.

If it’s not fun then I’m walking. Seriously. You must make exercising fun. If it’s not fun then you’re doing something that you shouldn’t continue. If you’re running - walk for a bit. In Thailand there is no shyness about this. They run 100 yards and walk 200. They might alternate like this for 1 kilometer or they might go 5 kilometers like that. There is no competition among the Thai people when they are at a public park running among a hundred other people. They aren’t embarrassed to walk for a while!

That’s where I got this idea, Thailand. If nobody else is embarrassed, why would I be?

No matter what, it’s fun to make yourself go to a park and walk around and look at people and give yourself some quiet time to think about things on your mind. It frees the mind up from doing work and logical things and gives it some space.

Your emotional mind is happy because it’s seeing people and the outdoors. The body is happy because it’s feeling like it’s accomplishing something even by just walking 1km. The logical mind is happy because it knows this is all leading to something - running longer and longer distances and more feeling of control over the emotional mind and body! The logical mind is really psyched to be out there even if we’re not running all the time. It will come… it will come.

There can’t be any expectation about what you’re going to do when you go to the park. Tell your body and your emotional mind that you’re going to the park to give the brain a REST! Look at it as a positive - a reward. That way, you’re definitely going. You deserve a reward, right? That’s what I do… it makes it so much easier.

Just go to a park where there’s not 300 runners and just walk. That’s it… walk. If you feel like it, run for a bit. Only run if it’s fun. If your mind or body is really rebelling and starts telling you - this is no fun at all, stop and walk. Don’t run again until you really feel like all parts of the “you” are “GO!”

When you stick to a schedule of going to the park for a period of time you’ll notice that you’re running more and walking less. It might take a few weeks or you might jump into it sooner if you’re a natural. There will still be days that you don’t think all systems are “go” and you walk the entire time. You might walk for 20 minutes and decide that your body isn’t up to it. Maybe a muscle is feeling worse as you walk even. No matter, go home. Don’t put any requirements on your visit to the park.

The whole thing about exercise is that it must be FUN. Don’t do it if it’s not fun. If you do it at a very gradual pace I think that you’ll find it IS fun. If you try running for 2 months and you just don’t like it - even if you’re running ONLY when it’s fun for you and walking the rest of the time you might want to switch to a different exercise. Or, you might want to realize that walking can do it for you too - whatever reason you had for running - can be the same reason to be walking instead. No worries, don’t set up something in your mind that says

I MUST BE A RUNNER!

That’s ridiculous musturbation. There are runners, walkers, tennis players, racquetball players, bicycle riders, hikers, climbers, soccer players, swimmers, surfers, bodyboarders, windsurfers, kitesurfers, stationary bike riders, stairmasters, rollerbladers and skateboarders. Exercise is exercise. I don’t think it matters much WHY you are exercising - you can get the same things from any of the sports mentioned.

For me, running is special because it’s just me. It’s my body against the elements. I am making the body run up hills, down hills, through woods, into areas I’ve not been, it’s adventure. It’s accomplishment. It’s power. It’s control. Did you ever hear of “fartlek” running?

Parkour? More on these later… (in the running category links).

For me, running is pure bliss! I often imagine that I’m passing people as I run. I use this imagery that I’m passing all the people that I want to surpass with my business goals and my personal goals. I’m blowing right by them because some of them are standing still. They’re standing still because they probably don’t run. I see them up ahead of me and they’re going so slow… I’m going slow too - but you know what? I’m passing them!

This is another reason I like to run when there’s nobody around… I talk to them as I pass them, these imaginary business competitors… Steve Pavlina, Urban Buddha, Yokum Starok or whatever his name is… I’m the master of this race… and there can be no other winner.

I am ALWAYS the WINNER!

Always.

ALWAYS!

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Best of Life!

Hi and welcome…

This is the 1st post for this personal development blog.

This blog is intended to be a resource for those that are trying to improve their lives in many ways. Sometimes I’ll just try to provide some laughter or a different point of view on things. Sometimes I’ll look at things we believe in - and question WHY we believe in them.

Most of the time this blog will be focused on positive ways to change your life or see things from a different angle. I’d like to increase viewers “world view”.

Life is a Game. A game with millions of variables.  Physical laws of the game, we live with.  Some of the other laws - we can CHANGE. By changing BELIEFS about what we can do, we can live a more fulfilling life! An AWESOME life.

By changing some of the basic things we believe life can become an easier game.

Better to master the game than just be a player. Better to create a subset of rules that we can use for ourselves, rules that empower us and give us happiness… fulfillment…  empower us…

If you like you can visit the “About” and “Bio” pages and learn more about what this blog is intended for.

Or, just start reading some articles. Up to you!

Enjoy the blog, if you have any questions just write me at: AimforAwesome ~ at ~ gmail…

Vern