Picture this... I'm doing a 20 mile trail run, it's a gorgeous day, and at mile 10 I hit a mental wall. I feel like there is absolutely no way I can get another 10 miles done and 2 of those include a mountain climb. I usually run with enthusiasm and I've run farther than this countless times. What in the heck was going on? I was obsessing about my physical low and was having a difficult time changing my mental status. In fact, I was mad! Mad that I still had 10 miles, mad that I was not enjoying the run, and extremely mad that I felt like I lost the desire to push myself. I really wanted to quit and call it a day. But.... wait... I remembered that conquering the mind is most of the battle and... good lord... I'm not a quitter! Digging deep and reaching even deeper for some mental toughness, I kept putting one foot in front of the other knowing that the feet will follow the mind. I'd like to say I ended running my best, but it was not... my body was beat. What was amazing was the feeling of conquering the battle that was fought in my mind and pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do that day. I was emotionally pumped as I drove home. I even went on to run another enjoyable 6 miles later.
My point is not how many miles you can put in, but how mental toughness can get you farther, keep you from quitting, and help you accomplish your goals. It has to be practiced. The next time you feel like you can't take one more step, perform one more pushup, or hold your plank one more minute... grab hold of your mind and get it done! These small steps in prepping the mind for bigger challenges will also push your fitness level higher. Mental toughness plays a very important role in getting fit and realizing your true physical potential. Now find your STRONG!
