General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Training your pain and mental threshold Rss Feed  
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2011-08-25 9:01 AM

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Subject: Training your pain and mental threshold

I had one of 'those' running days. The plan called for a 70 minute run (HIM in OCT)

Where should I start? Bear with me, it has a happy ending...

  • I was tired
  • It was humid
  • My feet hurt
  • My knees hurt
  • I got a hot spot on my foot I never had before
  • One toe was rubbing on the front of my shoe
  • My HR kept creeping up
  • I have a nagging shoulder injury that was stiff
  • The minutes were going by slowly
  • blah, blah, blah...

At one point I was thinking "well, this is what it could/will be like on race day" Than I thought "HTFU", "enjoy the run", "train with joy or not at all", "it's mind over matter", "I got this" at some point after that thought process I turned a sufferfest around and had a great run. It was truly a pain and mental threshold workout. 

The power of positive self talk and thought is a great tool to have in your arsenal.



2011-08-25 9:08 AM
in reply to: #3658563

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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
One place I've got it over most, I'm a divorced, combat vet. When I ask "How bad is this gonna suck?" I have a slightly skewed scale to start with so I might as well go train

2011-08-25 11:57 AM
in reply to: #3658563

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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

On just about any day when things are going like that I just tell myself "This is just going to suck until it doesn't" and carry on.

Like DanielG I have a slightly "off" mental threshold due to past military experience. Through that I learned the weapon your mind can be or the adversary will be if you let it. Weather people admit it or not, somewhere inside that is a lot of the reason why they are in the sport. We like to suffer...



Edited by jedibluez 2011-08-25 11:58 AM
2011-08-25 12:02 PM
in reply to: #3658563

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Champion
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Knoxville area
Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

Last weekend, 3 hour trainer ride, trying to hold 200w for the duration. Working on Nutrition.

 

Nutrition was incorrect to say the least. Although I had to stop and vomit twice (once at 1:20, another at 2:00), I finished the ride.

Sadly only held 189w for the 3 hours. Into a run brick

2011-08-25 12:29 PM
in reply to: #3658563

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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

It is- you're absolutely right. There are a ton of books on mental training for endurance sports now and these are super valuable resources for maintaining focus toward goals, coming to grips with a tough workout and dealing with self doubt.

An interesting snippet I gleaned from a book on mental training for distance running was the concept of internal vs. external focus.

External focus (disassociative)- in rudimentary terms- is listening to music, thinking about work, your dog, how the garage needs tiddying, etc. while you are running.

Internal (associative) focus is concentrating on your goals, pace, form, etc.

In tests revealed in the book, elite level athletes tended to be "Internal focus" while recreational athletes (us guys) trended more toward external focus or "disassociative".

I was chatting with a lad who was 50 times the cyclist I ever was, recognizable name fellow. I said to him, "So, dude- does going hard feel different to you? Are you fit enough so that a 30 M.P.H. effort isn't that hard?" His answer was pretty interesting (paraphrasing):

"Yeah, I can go 30 for an hour or more, but it hurts. The hurt is the same- we're just going faster. Sooner or later you learn, the hurt doesn't hurt you. It just hurts."

2011-08-25 12:41 PM
in reply to: #3659124

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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
Tom Demerly. - 2011-08-26 2:29 AM

It is- you're absolutely right. There are a ton of books on mental training for endurance sports now and these are super valuable resources for maintaining focus toward goals, coming to grips with a tough workout and dealing with self doubt.

An interesting snippet I gleaned from a book on mental training for distance running was the concept of internal vs. external focus.

External focus (disassociative)- in rudimentary terms- is listening to music, thinking about work, your dog, how the garage needs tiddying, etc. while you are running.

Internal (associative) focus is concentrating on your goals, pace, form, etc.

In tests revealed in the book, elite level athletes tended to be "Internal focus" while recreational athletes (us guys) trended more toward external focus or "disassociative".

I was chatting with a lad who was 50 times the cyclist I ever was, recognizable name fellow. I said to him, "So, dude- does going hard feel different to you? Are you fit enough so that a 30 M.P.H. effort isn't that hard?" His answer was pretty interesting (paraphrasing):

"Yeah, I can go 30 for an hour or more, but it hurts. The hurt is the same- we're just going faster. Sooner or later you learn, the hurt doesn't hurt you. It just hurts."

^^^ I love this

Also, which books would you recommend, specifically?



2011-08-25 1:38 PM
in reply to: #3658563

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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
bradaskins - 2011-08-25 9:01 AM

I had one of 'those' running days. The plan called for a 70 minute run (HIM in OCT)

Where should I start? Bear with me, it has a happy ending...

  • I was tired
  • It was humid
  • My feet hurt
  • My knees hurt
  • I got a hot spot on my foot I never had before
  • One toe was rubbing on the front of my shoe
  • My HR kept creeping up
  • I have a nagging shoulder injury that was stiff
  • The minutes were going by slowly
  • blah, blah, blah...

At one point I was thinking "well, this is what it could/will be like on race day" Than I thought "HTFU", "enjoy the run", "train with joy or not at all", "it's mind over matter", "I got this" at some point after that thought process I turned a sufferfest around and had a great run. It was truly a pain and mental threshold workout. 

The power of positive self talk and thought is a great tool to have in your arsenal.

i had a similiar training run for IM training. Aweful just aweful, one mile at a time, and i too thought "well this is what IM will be like" i pushed through and got it done.

but race day was way better!!

2011-08-25 1:46 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

When I have one of "those" days, I accept the suffering. Without the bad days, there would be no good ones!

2011-08-25 2:17 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
DanielG - 2011-08-25 10:08 AM One place I've got it over most, I'm a divorced, combat vet. When I ask "How bad is this gonna suck?" I have a slightly skewed scale to start with so I might as well go train


I've got a similar perspective.  Ten years ago I was given less than three year life expectancy by my cardiologist if I didn't have open heart surgery.  Had the surgery and now just waking up in the morning is a victory.  I figure that I'm in the 'bonus time' of my life.  Being able to walk out the front door to go for a run is a blessing every time I do it.  I cherish the opportunity to push myself, be tired and have sore muscles. 

Mark
2011-08-25 3:12 PM
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Expert
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

DanielG - 2011-08-25 7:08 AM One place I've got it over most, I'm a divorced, combat vet. When I ask "How bad is this gonna suck?" I have a slightly skewed scale to start with so I might as well go train

^^^ Same here.  I'm learning that perspective can be a huge advantage in this sport.

2011-08-25 5:52 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
Ever have the so called bad days become the most enjoyable ones? Sometimes the discomfort and drama are the things that remind us we're alive and physical. The easy fun runs are also frequently the most forgettable.
An old coach told me to make friends with the pain.


 


2011-08-25 5:57 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
must have been something in the air because i had a crappy run today too. one of those days where you just keep telling yourself to keep putting one foot in front of the other until your done. helps me to read that other people experience the same feelings/thoughts
2011-09-16 4:28 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

Great to hear from others who have found ways to battle the mental side when the physical is not co-operating!

You can definitely learn the mental skills needed to be at your best and if you DO want to be at your best, it is an area you need to work on. You'll see quick, tangible progress too!

2011-09-16 4:47 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
'Hurt doesn't hurt you, it just hurts." Great quote
2011-09-16 5:04 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold
Awesome. I've had many runs where I had to chant to myself such things like "I feel good, I feel fine" to the beat of my feet. Then when it got harder "Bud-wei-ser". If I want to quit, I remember the pain of 11 hour, unmedicated childbirth, haha!

Edited by Blanda 2011-09-16 5:06 PM
2011-09-16 5:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Training your pain and mental threshold

I always try to remember that the good days wouldn't be as good if there were no bad days.  And it's because of the bad days, that I appreciate the great days.   How could I ever say "man, what a great ride that was" if I never had any bad rides?  And last but not least, when I have a really, really bad day, I know that it's not going to be that bad again for a long, long time (at least, that's what I tell myself )  But the "hurt" quote - that's great!  Hopefully, I'll remember that when it's hurting!  Thanks for sharing it!



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