Embrace Novel Circumstances: Mental Attributes of Elite Runners #11/15
#11 — Embrace novel circumstances.
We spend a lot of time trying to plan, control, and predict the future.
The idea that we have control is the hubris of humankind. The truth is, at best, we can only influence.
There is a great quote from the military which emphasizes this sentiment:
“No plan survives contact with the enemy.”
Human bodies, life, and our interactions are complex adaptive systems. Biology is the science of chaos. Physics the science of laws and absolutes. We are bio-physical creatures. Bounded by the laws of the physical world, but also existing in a world of constant chaos.
Elite runners are familiar and accepting of novelty or the unpredictable on race day. They know what little is within their control, and all that is not. Wannabes tend to be excessively narcissistic — thinking far more is under their influence than actually is. They have a driving need to prove themselves on race day rather than enjoy the competitive experience and all the challenges it will present, both foreseen and unforeseen.
What is seldom recognized is the need to prove yourself is based on insecurity and self-doubt. Only to the extent that a runner is unsure about who and what they are do they need to prove themselves to themselves or others. It’s best to abandon this need to prove yourself. It does little more than sabotage your efforts and causes anxiety when novel circumstances arise on race day which disrupts your idealistic vision for how things ought to go.
Our attitude is everything on race day — all else is just details. How you choose to respond and react is within your control. Your competition’s fitness level and race plan are not. Your training has determined your fitness level, but your thoughts will determine your performance level.