UltraMind–MindManagementforUltrasByStephaneMoulinandUpCoachingStaff

Thesunishigh,youreachalookout,theskyisblue,thebreezeiscoolingyouoff,theviewsareoutstanding,birdsarechirping,you’refeelinggreat.

WAKEUP!Thisiswhatweallthinkaboutwhenenteringanultraevent,butthisprettypostcardperfectpictureisfarfromreality–well,mostofthetime…

Oneentersanultrabecauseofthechallenge,theenvironment,thepeopleandcamaraderiebutalsothesufferingandthetopushoneselftotheirownlimitandredefiningthatlimit.Sufferinggoeshandinhandinanyultra,bothphysicalandmental.

Andasmuchasyoucanthephysical,youcantrain(orprepare)yourmindtoovercomesomeofthesituationsanddoubtsyoumayexperienceduringanultra.

Somerefertodoinganultraasaroller-coaster–Itismostlikelythatthroughoutthecourseofanultrayouwillexperiencesomefantastichighsbutalsoextremelows–bothphysicallyandmentally.Quiteoftenthosegohandinhand,butsometimestriggereachotherwiththeminddictatingthephysicaloutcome.Thiscouldresultinlong“unnecessarypauses”,stops,abandon,feelingsofgivingup,DNFs.

Onlyrarely(butitdoeshappen)doesanultragosmoothly,thatperfectwave–TheHolyGraildoesexist...butishardtocomeby.

Beforecontinuingreading,pleaserememberthatthereisadifferencebetweenamentalpainandanactualpainieinjury.Youneedtobeattunedtoyourbodywhichcomesthroughexperienceandtraining.Doinganultraisajourneynotjustanendgoalandcrossingthatline.Finishinganeventhavingdoneitwithabrokenlegisnotsmart,itisdangerousanddoesnotbenefityou(ortheorganisation).

Butwhatifyoucanavoidorlimittheimpactofyourmindonyourperformance?

Astrongminddrivesastrongbody.Andyoucantrainyourselftoovercomethoseblocks.Moreoftenthannot,thenegativitycomesintoplaywhenyouaretired/pushedtotheedgewhendoubtandfearentersyourthoughtprocess.

Fearofnotbeingabletofinish.Fearoffailure.Fearoftheunknown.

Thisiswheretrainingandplanningcomesintoplay:

- Berealistic–itmaybecommonsense,butsettinguparealisticgoalwillensureyouavoidsomedisappointmentandstressduringtheevent(ifatimegoalisunrealisticyouwillbestressingasyouare“behind”etc).Ialwayssuggesthaving3plans–great,goodandbad,andtypicallyyouwillfloatinbetweenthetop2duringanevent.Itisalsohandyforcrews–ifyouhavesome–sothattheyhaveanideaofwhattoexpectandadapttheirtimingasracedevelops.

- Beadaptive–thingschangeduringanultra(weather,body,etc)soyouneedtoremindyourselfthatitisoktoslowdownnowandthenandadaptingtotheterrain/conditions.

- Beattunedtoyourbody–dealwithnigglesthereandthenevenifitmeansa5mins“unplanned”stop.Asmallhotspotat10kmmayresultinacourseDNF3layerdeepinfectedblister…..

- Pushintrainingnotonraceday–formyathletes,I‘want’themtopush/haveatoughlongrunduringtraining.Thiswillhavepositiveimpactsatalaterstageasyouareteachingyourbody(andmind)thatitisokandthatthingswillgetbetter–eventually.Knowingthatthisfeelingistemporaryandknowingwhatitfeelslikewillallowyoutoworkyourwayoutofthathole/feelingofhelplessness.Knowingitistemporarygivesyouhopeandempowersyoutomoveforward.

- Befocussed-Focusonthemoment,notthefinishline–youmightbeexperiencingissues½waythroughanevent.Focusyourenergyandmindonthemomentandre-adjustgoals:“I’llwalktothattree,thatrock.I’llgetacleanshirtatthenextCP”.Trytofindsomethingtolookforwardto–thereisalwayssomething,aslittleasitmaybe.Thiswilldistractyoufromthecurrentissueandwillrefocusyourenergyandthoughts.

- Controlyourmind–forsomeverylongultras,themindwilltrytotrickyoutostop/giveup/rest.Thisistypicallyexperiencedviahallucinations–theyaredifferentforeveryonebutallhavethesamepurpose:totryandmakeyoustop.Sometimesthisistriggeredbypurefatigue–sosomecaffeineintakemayhelp.Sugarintakewillalsohelpasitallowsyourbrainworkoptimallyandyourthinkingwillbemuchmorerational,measuredandlessreactive.

- Beprepared–thinkingprocessesgetalteredwithfatigue/exhaustionandsomesimpletasks/decisionsbecomeveryhardtomake.Orsometimesyoucannotmakethatdecision:gelorbaretc.Haveyourraceandnutritionplanwrittenoutbeforetheracesoyou/thecrew,justhavetofollowitontheday

- Trustyourself/yourcrew–you’vetrainedhardandlong,leveragethatfactandremindyourselfthatyouCANdothis,youareworthy.Ifyouhaveacrew,trustthem,theywilldowhattheybelieveisbestforyouevenifatthetime,youthinkotherwise

- Micro-sleep–ifyouaretooexhaustedandstruggletostayawake,optforashort10/15minsmicrosleep.Thiswillallowyouto“reset”yourmindwithoutgoingintodeepsleepphase.Youwillwakeupfeelingfreshandre-energised.

Lastly,justawordofwarningwhenthingsaregoinggreatandfeelingterrific.Justasyoucanbecomedespondentandnegativeduringthebadpatches,converselycontrolyoureuphoriaandenthusiasmwhenthingsareontheupwardwave.It’seasytogetcarriedawayinthemomentandpushoutsideyourcomfortzoneasaresponse.It’seasytothinkyoudon’tneedtofuelanddrinkwhenyou’reinthisspot.Sobewaryofthehigh.Trytokeeprestrainedandmeasuredandwhenthingsarefeelinggreat,don’tgetcarriedaway.Insteadstretchoutthisphaseaslongandasbestasyoucan.

Keepcomposed,staycuriousandmakeyourdaysustainable.Don’t’catastrophisethelowsandnottakethehighsforgranted.

Mostimportantly,enjoy…Enjoythemoment,theday,theexperienceandremindyourselfwhyyouarehere.Thiswillfuelyourpositivitywhichwillalsopushawaythosedarkthoughts.

Attheendoftheday,itissupposedtobefun!

HappytrainingJ