T - 10 days to RAK Half Marathon 2015

I was complaining to my coach after a tough tempo run I did on Tuesday evening, here was her response. It was an eye opener. No more excuses.

Thanks Sarah.

..................................................................................................................

Syafei...brace yourself as you're about to get a rollocking!

When did you have a blood lactate test? When did you have body fat composition analysis? You haven't so how do you know you're way off the fitness level you were this time last year? 

You are your own worst enemy for talking yourself into not meeting your own potential. You set yourself up with excuses before every race.

 

You cannot judge fitness by feel. Feel is emotional. Emotions do not determine scientific fitness. Emotions purely give you excuses not to perform. Snap out of it! 

 

Sadly, we do not have the luxury of scientifically testing fitness...and even those athletes who do still don't rely on it. The human body is affected by a multitude of variables - food intake, work load, stress, rest, weather, hydration, age...it's impossible to accurately compare one day to the next let alone year to the next. 

 

You know yourself that race performance is influenced by much more than just fitness. Positive Mental Attitude accounts for a massive amount on race day. If you are putting yourself in a place where you don't expect to perform - you've already given yourself an excuse not to - and you won't. Simple. 

 

Instead, focus on WHY you want to race. Running hard is never pretty, it never feels pleasant, it's blood and guts pure and simple, it's a risk and that's why we do it. It you want guaranteed performance get a robot as the human body just doesn't work like that. 

You get yourself into a 'what the heck' mentality. You think yourself into a state of 'well I feel heavy so I am heavy so what the heck it doesn't matter if I eat this extra cookie'...you have to take control for yourself. No one else can do this for you. 

 

Now man up, feel the strength you have inside, get to that race line and focus, focus on what it will feel like to perform, don't ignore the pain you will feel, but it's only pain, you're stronger than that and you can ride through it. You need to go into this knowing that you will give it your best shot. Good luck!