Around the time you 'hit the wall' during the latter half of a marathon, the way you think changes.
The discomfort, exhaustion, pain, the compelling urge to go on and give up at the same time, the noticeable lack of people around you make you realize how alone you really are.
At that point, your friends, family, teammates, other runners, your dog, nobody can really understand where you are mentally. Even if some of them do, there's really nothing they can do about it. That's a sort of unique thing about long distance running. Your performance depends mostly on you. How others perform or support you becomes irrelevant. It's you,all alone.
Once you 'get' how alone you really are, there are several things your mind starts processing. One is, what I believe most people end up doing, is to think positively. Hope, optimism, determination, courage(?), grit, just pushing through it, willpower. All those positive desirable traits show up. This becomes easier if your personality at baseline is of that sort.
Occasionally however, the darker side of your personality can show up. The constant discomfort turns you into a snarling beast internally. Someone who is immune to the good charm and bonhomie that was around him just some time ago. Who is focused on only one thing. Pushing and punishing himself till this is done.
The discomfort, exhaustion, pain, the compelling urge to go on and give up at the same time, the noticeable lack of people around you make you realize how alone you really are.
At that point, your friends, family, teammates, other runners, your dog, nobody can really understand where you are mentally. Even if some of them do, there's really nothing they can do about it. That's a sort of unique thing about long distance running. Your performance depends mostly on you. How others perform or support you becomes irrelevant. It's you,all alone.
Once you 'get' how alone you really are, there are several things your mind starts processing. One is, what I believe most people end up doing, is to think positively. Hope, optimism, determination, courage(?), grit, just pushing through it, willpower. All those positive desirable traits show up. This becomes easier if your personality at baseline is of that sort.
Occasionally however, the darker side of your personality can show up. The constant discomfort turns you into a snarling beast internally. Someone who is immune to the good charm and bonhomie that was around him just some time ago. Who is focused on only one thing. Pushing and punishing himself till this is done.
