Training for races prepares you to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle. The event can push your mental and physical limits, but it can also motivate you to act on your goals during the whole process.
It’s about doing your best both before and during the event so you can complete the chosen event distance, achieve your personal best, and possibly win the race altogether.
Approaching life like you are training for a race every day can prepare your mind and body for every life event you encounter.
READ: Achieve a runner’s body: Your ultimate guide on how to start running
View this post on Instagram
On June 8, I joined the 10K Fast Track 2 race held at Villar City. I signed up four days before the event.
To my surprise, I was the first female participant to cross the finish line. I finished it in 51 minutes. It was the first time in my life that I won first place in a running race (I had placed second or third before, but never first). And, yes, at the age of 47.
I was not strategically prepared to win that particular race, as it was a spontaneous decision to participate. However, I realized that I had won because I had lived my life as if I were constantly training for a big event or race. You don’t need to aim to win a race or any competition, but consistently training yourself to have a foolproof body against challenges will open enormous possibilities in life.
How to live like you are constantly training for a big race? Let me share my experiences.
1. Establish discipline in your life
You can’t just decide to stay disciplined and focused. It may work initially, but sustaining it can be challenging. You need to work hard for it. It can take a considerable amount of time, so be prepared to embrace the entire process fully.
- Start by identifying the things you value in your life. Is it health, family, career, or personal growth? Focus on that.
- Let go of the things you don’t need, which will only act as distractions and time-wasters. Be consistent with small, good habits that can bring you closer to your goals.
- Each small win will strengthen your newly formed habits, allowing you to move on to the next one.
For decades, I—perhaps like you—have struggled to establish consistency in my life. However, instead of giving up, I honed in on what I valued—which was my health—and it helped me strengthen desired habits such as sleeping and waking up early, eating nutritious food, and staying consistent with the volume and intensity of all my workouts. Everything helped me run fast and strong during the 10K race. I attribute my sense of focus and discipline to these three big things:
- Journaling
- Regularly writing down my dreams, aspirations, and challenges provided me with a clearer vision of the areas I would like to focus on in my life. Recording my lifestyle habits made me more self-aware of how I perform and gave me a greater sense of control.
- Simplifying life
- I was able to let go of the things that didn’t bring me joy, the people who didn’t give me a chance to show my strengths, the activities that drained my energy, and nutrient-poor foods that stressed my body. Putting 100 percent of my energy into the people, activities, and things that uplift my soul, emotions, and energy always brings me closer to my goals.
- Asking support
- I have always asked my husband for support to make things easier for me. Through time, I have progressed significantly with his honest feedback and accountability.
2. Prioritize positivity
I could feel a deep and solid confidence that surged through me with every stride during the race. That feeling strongly carried me forward to the finish line. I overcame self-doubt over time. I’m now more confident in my abilities than ever before, and I’m ready to face any upcoming challenges because I know in my heart how much time and effort I have invested. Keeping that in mind while maintaining a positive mindset was among the factors that got me through the race:
- Envision success
- Your feelings, thoughts, and actions can have a profoundly positive impact on your life. There will be hundreds and thousands of good things that you can always think of about your life. Give enough time to realize it.
- Releasing the habit of complaining
- While I was running, I restructured my thoughts about the mental and physical discomforts I felt during the race, such as the hilly terrain in most parts of the run. I chose not to invite complaining thoughts. Instead, I continued to move forward and gave the very best I could at that moment—allowing myself to go with the flow while focusing on my energy with uplifting thoughts.
- Refuse to quit
- During the race, my body was fatigued during the last two kilometers. I was pushing my limits. I was the first 10K female finisher that day, and the feeling was beyond words. Winning is not really about beating others; it is refusing to quit at the turning point of your journey.
- Strategically balancing between effort and recovery
- It’s not just about mental fortitude. It’s also about working intelligently and knowing when to and when not to push. During the run, I alternated between maximal effort, maintenance, and recovery. I started quickly to build my body’s strength, then slowed down midway to regain my energy, and alternated between sprinting and a sustainable, steady pace during the latter half.
- In the past, I used to drive myself relentlessly, resulting in burnout. Solid strength comes from the alignment between effort and recovery. It transformed my life, and I have never felt this balanced.
Email the author at [email protected] or follow/message her on Instagram @mitchfelipemendoza
