Date: 2012-03-01
To: mental prep
Miles today: 0.0

I came across this article on CNN the other day and thought it had some great tips about mental toughness. It's written by a 4-time Ironman Champion, and it's got info that is applicable not only to triathlons, but to the trail as well. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/health/chrissie-wellington-triathlete-champion/index.html?iref=allsearchShe talks about having a mantra or special song to repeat to yourself. The song "Keep Your Head Up" by Andy Grammer is one that I especially like. Some of my favorite lyrics are:"The glow that the sun givesRight around sunsetHelps me realizeThis is just a journeyDrop your worriesYou are gonna turn out fine.Oh, you'll turn out fine.Fine, oh, you'll turn out fine.But you gotta keep your head up, oh,And you can let your hair down, eh.you gotta keep your head up, oh,And you can let your hair down, eh.I know it's hard, know it's hard,To remember sometimes,But you gotta keep your head up, oh,And you can let your hair down, eh."The section where she talks about breaking the race up into smaller segments is definitely applicable to the trail. I remember in "A Walk in the Woods" where Bryson and Katz look at a huge map of the trail and are totally disheartened when they realize just how little of it they have covered, and how much they have left. So I won't definitely won't be looking at that map! I think I'm just going to take it state by state, and make it my goal to get to the next one. One of my favorite Trailjournalers, Wags from 2009, rewarded herself by shaving her legs every 500 miles. The author also talks about mentally recalling inspirational people. I'll definitely be thinking of Jennifer Pharr Davis, and her amazing record-setting hike from this past summer. She talked about having shin splints so bad she could barely take a step, but her husband's encouragement allowed her to keep going. And I'll think of the blind man who did the AT with his guide dog, and Grandma Gatewood, the 78-year-old woman who did it 3 times with barely any proper gear.The photo above is of me in my college swimming days. It seems like a long time ago, but I've thought about it a lot in prepping for this hike. I've been an athlete since I started swim team at age 6, and it's huge part of who I am today. It was a hard transition to be done with college swimming and not have an outlet in which I could push myself to my mental and physical limits every day. I know I'll find that on the AT, and I'm looking forward to it. (I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess.) There were definitely days when I hated swimming, but deep down, I loved it at the same time, and that's what kept me going. Those memories of 5:30 AM practices, of doing 100x100s during winter training trip, of swimming through pain and sickness, of not improving my times for months or years even but never giving up...those are what give me the confidence that I can do this. As long as my body doesn't inexplicably fail me, I can do this. I've been spending way too much time lately on Whiteblaze and Trailjournals, reading about people who have started already and wishing I could be there. I've read a few stories about people who've had to quit already (!) due to knee and foot problems. Yikes! And then I start worrying about my knees... I've been doing physical therapy on my right knee due to a freak kickball accident from a few months ago, but my doctor says I should be fine by the time I start the AT. But then I fell on my left knee during my ill-fated Smokies trip, and it's feeling worse than the right knee! If it stays at the current level of discomfort, I can handle it, but I just don't want it to get worse. I see my doctor again a week from tomorrow, so I'm hoping for no bad news. It is getting better, I just tend to think about the worst-case scenario. At this point, I'm worrying about pretty much anything that could stand in the way of what I've been dreaming about for 2 years. So prayers for my peace of mind would be appreciated!!