I guess we all have them - there were times that you felt great and other times that you couldn't feel any worse, but psychologically you need to get yourself through it. I know for me, my lowest point was when my torch ran out of battery and I couldn't see where I was going, plus the pain killers started to wear off and I could feel every movement. I felt so deflated and desperate, especially when those dark, scary thoughts start rushing through your head. Your imagination starts to run wild and you start imaging all sorts of things, I saw snakes (not real, actually happened to be a energy bar wrapper, how I mistook for a snake I have no idea). I just wanted to stop and cry, not give up, but this overwhelming emotions just runs through you. Then came one of my best moments (I say one of, as there were a few great moments to be had), when the generosity of someone that I had never met lent me her head torch, so I could feel safe completing the last couple of kms. I still felt emotionally at the end, my mind and body could not take any more, and then Dave took over for another 4 laps throughout the night, while I recovered.
I know that Dave also found those dark spots throughout the night, At one point the sheer exhaustion got to him and an overwhelming feeling overcame him and he broke into tears! He even believed that a wolf was running along side him through the muddy mile! His favourite lap bizarrely was when his torch stopped, he said he knew his feet and legs knew what to do and this ended up being his quickest night lap. In Dave's words "my biggest battle in physical activity is and has always been mentally, I find a comfortable zone and don't exceed it if I don't have to. Going into Enduro I knew through training that physically i should be ok but I really wanted to try to push myself mentally. The lap where my torch stopped everything seemed to fall into place and I believe for the first time in my life both physical and mental where in harmony."
0 Comments
RSS Feed
