Beating Down the Wall: Mind over Body
First of all let me extend my best wishes to fellow contributor Chris aka Dr.Swoll, in his endeavor to complete the MS 150. It truly is worthy cause and your support is indeed very valuable to fund multiple sclerosis research. I started thinking about what it would take to complete 180 miles in the Texas hill country and one thing stood out above all the other things I could think about and that is having a strong mind.
There comes a point when all of us think we can not go anymore. Another step would kill us, turn of the pedal drain what little energy we have left, rep under the weight of a barbell. Well the truth is, you are thinking you can’t so how the hell could you possibly expect go any farther? No matter what you are doing, this point is what many of us like to call the wall.
Time stops, its a surreal moment actually, and you are given a choice. I mean this very literally — your body actually asks your mind if it wants it to go further even though it may hurt, even though our bodies think we are spent and have nothing left to give. Those of us with the courage to take the harder path will say no, I want you to keep on going; whatever happens after that I will deal with when the dust has settled.
I mean it is true isn’t it? Stop when your body says to and you will go home a little sore, sweat on your brow dried and with a little rest you will be fine. You are no warrior because you can lay claim to conquering no great feat. When I say great feat I mean personal accomplishment, you only did what you knew you could. Yah you say, who wants to go home beat and dead. This is who.
Be your own warrior. When your body is asking you to go home or fight take the reigns and fight. This is where the pain begins. The burn becomes intense and you can actually feel the fibers in your muscles twitching from the continued stress but they are now slaves to your mind. This ship is not going to stop until you tell it to. It really is an amazing state of being. Our bodies begin producing endorphin in higher quantities, a substance similar to opiates to quell the pain to some degree because it now recognizes that you are not going to let it stop.
When all is said and done you will likely be in pain but who told you pain does not go away. It is a temporary thing, but what you accomplished is forever. Nothing can take away what you did and you can revel in the fact that you did something that you might have thought was impossible.
So next time you are running, biking, repping weight, swimming laps or whatever, and your body asks you which road you are going to take, do not even hesitate and forge the unpaved path. Trust me, it will not kill you but it WILL show you who YOU really are.
Be strong, everyday.
Be your own warrior.
As Lance Armstrong said, Live Strong.

Kathleen:
Good article. When I pedal my bike up a hill, I can always push that pedal one more time - all I think about is one more, then the next. It’s amazing how it increases endurance. - it stacks up until you are at the top of that hill, then beyond!
Posted on April 20th, 2008 at 4:57 am