tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182087222024-03-08T19:36:47.113-05:00East-West Philosophy of Ultra RunningThis website presents new articles about ultra running, and its impact on our lives.
<a href="mailto:diane@dianechesla.com?subject=Please Email Me The Articles">Email me the articles.</a>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-26683069858536335802007-03-18T17:19:00.000-04:002007-03-18T17:47:39.094-04:00Approaches to Peak Performance Categorized<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><br />The following is not an article. It is an extension of my contemplations found in <a href="http://www.dirtygirlsrun.com/dirty-rants.php">“dirty rants”.</a> These contemplations are based on my recent experiences with runner’s high and Bikram yoga and draw upon my work on the psycho-philosophy of peak performance.<br /><br /><strong>Background to the latest “rant”:</strong><br />I am an ultra runner who began Bikram yoga almost two months ago. Although I do it only one day a week, I recently had an incredible experience following my regular Tuesday night Bikram session. Briefly, I ran faster than I normally do (8:30 pace versus 10:30), felt like I could run endlessly on every run and ended the week in what felt like an out-of-body running experience. I also experienced endless energy throughout the week, incredible mental clarity and intensely creative urges. On the downside, I was very irritated, mostly because I could just not satisfy my creative drive and lost all patience with others in the search for both logical and creative self-expression.<br /><br /><strong>Latest “rant” (1 week after the Bikram-induced experience)</strong><br />Today, I bowed out of my run after barely 30 minutes. However, I must say that I am in an absolutely wonderful mood. Comparatively, my mood this past week (post 5 days of Bikram-induced “high,” culminating in an out-of-body running experience), has been to unhealthy extremes: crabbiness and an emotional intensity that has irritated me and others I interact with. Ironically, my logistical or organizational capabilities have been acutely sharp at the same time (a positive side effect of reaching a state of peak performance). I bowed out of my run because my stomach was upset. Simple analysis. I was not mentally tired or mechanically incapable of performing today. Combined with earlier analyses, this leads me to the following analysis on approaches to “peak performance” or the “runner’s high” (the type of peak performance most commonly understood in the running world):<br /><br />Approaches to peak performance:<br /><br /><strong>Physically induced</strong><br /><br />i) Breaking through physical barriers<br /><br /><li>Body leads the mind;</li><br /><li>Mind is projected into “present moment” (i.e. no thoughts about past/no major draw on our memory stores and no anxiety about potential future events);</li><br /><li>Most likely the act of focusing (limiting our field of stimuli) facilitates this state of mind and consequently, state of “being”;</li><br /><li>Ability to experience an out of body running sensation is based upon tapping into physical stores of the human body, which has some physiological explanation (note that this state of physical “bliss” is not sustainable);</li><br /><li>As this is not one’s normal state of physical operation, the perception of the experience is one of “psychedelic” or “mystical” when in fact it has physiological underpinnings;</li><br /><li>Challenge is that if our physical state of being (i.e. our physical capabilities) is not at this level (and it is most often not, as this is what breaking through physical limitations is all about), then the consequence is that we are creating physical stress on our bodies, leading to bad moods/crabbiness and other negative mind sets;</li><br /><li>After the physical act ends and the mental focus, we return to our normal states of being, both physical and mental (and probably a state of fatigue).</li><br /><br />ii) Physical repetition and symmetry<br /><br /><li>Body leads the mind;</li><br /><li>Peak performance achieved through the creation of a repetitive physical act, like patterned running on a stable surface;</li><br /><li>Research shows this happens after about the 40 minute mark in running;</li><br /><li>Similar to rhythmic drumming;</li><br /><li>Again, we are limiting our stimuli field, or focusing as we commonly know it, making an altered state of consciousness possible;</li><br /><li>Negative moods most likely not experienced as long as we are not pushing ourselves past our normal physical mode of operandi;</li><br /><li>The accompanying feeling of “awe” (or the “high”) from the experience may be prolonged because we do not have the accompanying negative mental effects of physical stress;</li><br /><li>Again, this is in fact our experience of “the present moment.”</li><br /><br /><strong>Mentally induced</strong><br />This is an interesting category as Eastern philosophies seem to be so much more advanced on this topic (i.e. ability to control or “lead” our minds into different states of consciousness). In the West, we are almost obsessed with physical states of being (i.e. exercise). This probably arose in response to a focus on fast foods and the accompanying state of unhealthiness in Western populations. As such, we are probably more familiar in the West with entering altered states of consciousness through physically induced means, particularly that of breaking through physical barriers.<br /><br /><li>No physically induced stress therefore feelings of happiness/peacefulness most likely accompany alternative states of mind (meditation is probably best example of an activity that can alter our state of mind in this category);</li><br /><li>Again, without practice, we only temporarily enter these states of mind and therefore stress can be experienced as we drift away from these seemingly euphoric states;</li><br /><li>Mental stress is experienced (often depression) if we fall out of this idyllic state and don’t know how to return to it, most often because we don’t know how we got there in the first place;</li><br /><li>This state is the same one I refer to above (i.e. physically-induced) as it represents the “present moment”;</li><br /><li>We arrive here through specific mentally-derived activities, like meditation;</li><br /><li>In meditation, for example, we are either focusing (i.e. limiting our stimuli field) or letting go of our thoughts (mindfulness meditation) to arrive at this state of mind.</li><br /><br />I can cross-examine these theories through contemplating the process of creativity in terms of the various categories that I have noted here. This is for future deliberations.<br /><br /><br />© 2007<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,255,153)">Click on the (very small) "Comments" link below to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span> <p></p><p><b><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"></b></p><br /></span>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-65648216159033608532006-12-31T10:30:00.000-05:002006-12-31T17:18:51.237-05:00Is narcissism in ultrarunning an oxymoron?<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><br />I’m sorry. And I’m sorry for being sorry. I apologize as this article might just have an apologetic tone. Since becoming involved in ultra running I have sung its praises, held it on a high horse and boasted of its unique and illustrious community. The truth is, I’m beginning to doubt that this group is unlike any other group out there. It has its tricksters, whiners, hotshots, grumps and its snivellers. However, all my psycho-philosophical research on the merits of ultra running has not been in vain. I merely think that the honeymoon period has past and I have come face to face with the reality of human nature. And for the majority of the western culture, this reality can be described as narcissistic.<br /><br />Ironically, the roots of narcissism actually have somewhat of a romantic underpinning. According to myth (i.e. irrefutable Greek legend):<br /><br /><em>Narcissus was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate<br />advances of the nymph Echo. As a punishment, he was doomed to<br />fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable<br />to consummate his love, Narcissus pined away and changed into the<br />flower that bears his name, the narcissus.<br /></em><br />Today the term has quite negative connotations, which include vanity and conceit, egotism and selfishness. Psychiatry and psychology even recognize it as a severe personality disorder in its extreme cases. One year ago I could not have imagined putting narcissism and ultra running in the same sentence because my belief was that ultra runners were part of a unique culture with a fierce sense of community. Today I am not so sure. This leads me to investigate and ask whether narcissism is an oxymoron in ultra running.<br /><br />On one hand, it depends how ultra running – and consequently, the “ultra runner” - is defined. Most would say that anything over the marathon distance of 42.2 km is an ultra. Is a 50k an ultra? Is someone that runs one 50k a year or in a lifetime an ultra runner? Or must one run 100 milers to be considered an ultra runner? The lines of distinction are further blurred when terrain is considered as many runs on trails are much tougher than those on road, take longer and, at least in Ontario, are often bunched together with longer distance races. It becomes confusing with a myriad of “runners” blazing down a trail these days in a race. I have often found that it is only after the shorter distance races end, and a scant crowd is left on the trail, that you can be certain that the runner who brazenly declared their right of way on the narrow track six hours ago was not an ultra runner.<br /><br />Is such a runner a narcissist or are they merely immersed in the spirit of competition? After all, it is a race. This brings me to my second point and this concerns how narcissism is defined, as that “non ultra runner” that I just described may very well be an “ultra” runner. In its worst form, and according to popular psychology, narcissism is:<br /><br /><em>Characterized by inflated or grandiose view of self, the quest for<br />excessive admiration, an unreasonable or exaggerated sense of<br />entitlement, a lack of empathy, an exploitative attitude toward others,<br />a proneness to envy or wish to be envied, frequent fantasies of<br />greatness, and arrogance.</em><br /><br />Although I cannot quite claim to know that many ultra runners personally, I do not think that any of the exploits I have witnessed would put runners in this extreme category of narcissism. I doubt that anyone who was that into themselves would want to endure the physical and emotional trauma that is an inherent part of ultra running.<br /><br />Narcissism in its less severe form more closely resembles an over-zealous competitive spirit. The area becomes a little grey when trying to distinguish between healthy levels of competition. One runner’s idea of what it takes to win might be markedly different from another’s. And for some runners, the stakes could be quite high with qualifying times for world ultra competitions and sponsors to appease or woo.<br /><br />I admittedly had a horrendous time trying to defend ultra runners as anything but self-serving individuals in my graduate work. An interesting question that did arise, and one that I find quite intriguing, is how ultra runners behave in the world outside of the running community. With the challenges of trying to define rules for exactly what constitutes ultra running and an “ultra runner,” behavior outside of races may be a good indicator of what ultra runners are really like – self-absorbed, true community minded individuals or somewhere in between.<br /><br />The answer then is a firm “I’m not sure” as to whether narcissism is an oxymoron in ultra running. One thing I am learning is that many ultra runners are rather uninterested to learn whether others think they are – or they are not – self-absorbed, community minded, somewhere in between, or whether they are officially an “ultra” runner or officially a “non-ultra” runner. In the end, most ultra runners are quite happy just to be running.<br /><br /><em>Hmmm…isn’t this then proof that narcissism is indeed an oxymoron in ultra running?</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />© 2006<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,255,153)">Click on the (very small) "Comments" link below to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span> <p></p><p><b><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"></b></p><br /></span>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-1152203163971400212006-07-06T12:25:00.000-04:002006-07-06T12:38:10.316-04:00Oh Bliss! Oh Joy! On loving running.<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><br />I have just experienced the most incredible weeklong episode of runner’s high. Every run was marked by a feeling of my body being on autopilot and my mind merely being taken along for the ride. The week blissfully ended in a near-effortless three-hour mountain bike ride.<br /><br />The event that opened the door to my magical experiences was an eighteen-hour non-stop run, bike and canoe from downtown Toronto to St. Catharines. There was no real purpose or motivation behind the exploit. It was my birthday and I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to an adventure. With my boyfriend’s support en route and the camaraderie of a good friend to endure the miles, we set out after work one Friday afternoon. Conversation did wane as the miles wore on. However, pushing forward felt uncomplicated. In spite of some moments of incredible fatigue where my eyes had become mere slits, thoughts of stopping or quitting never entered my mind. Nearly every moment, every physical movement was just about moving forward. I did not find myself having to force motivating thoughts to keep going. Nor did I have to remind myself of the overriding goal. In fact, I found that there was not the time or space to produce thoughts. In hindsight, I would say that I was very focused on what I was doing and derived a sense of enjoyment out of my activities. Having the added challenge of navigating through various parts of the night probably facilitated these states of being. Interestingly, focus, challenge and enjoyment are key components of peak performance.<br /><br />Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi has written extensively over the years on this topic. He describes peak performance in sport as a state of “flow” incorporating focus, challenge and enjoyment. Flow has feel good qualities; “[It is] the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter, the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”<br /><br /><br /><strong>The complexity of focus, challenge and enjoyment</strong><br />This experience with my birthday adventure, like the many others that I have had through the years, provides insight on my understanding of runner’s high and peak performance (or flow). Although these concepts all have distinct attributes, their commonality is the altered state of consciousness they produce. Through the process of observing my own experiences in running and adventuring, I am becoming more convinced that we cannot perfectly deconstruct altered states. Similarly, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to create a state of peak performance – or a high – by tackling focusing, challenge and enjoyment individually. This is because the more we try to focus and try to let go of invading thoughts, the more elusive is a state of continuous focus. The more we think about a challenge, the more we either scare ourselves away from it or the more we fail to recognize its inherent value. And lastly, the more we attempt to convince ourselves that we are enjoying something, the more we realize we are but trying to convince ourselves of something.<br /><br />Furthermore, I think that the three activities – focusing, identifying challenges and enjoyment – are tightly bound concepts that work in a dynamic relationship to build a mental framework that facilitates an altered state of consciousness. All three may need to be present in varying degrees to facilitate this state.<br /><br />The one area where we may have the most control is with our thought processes. In my last article entitled, “ The elusive search for runner’s high,“ I suggest that a high can be facilitated by letting go of negative emotional reactions. If this holds true, then it seems reasonable to assume that the opposite – positive emotions – would also facilitate the high. I do not think that this necessarily means that we have to think positive thoughts. I believe that the key is in FEELING our good feelings. This is not easy. Just as we cannot dissect or reconstruct the components of an altered state, I do not think we can easily make ourselves “feel good feelings.” Whether we are trying to assert control over our negative or our positive emotional response mechanisms, our thoughts can get in the way.<br /><br />On the other hand, we can chose to believe that it is not our thoughts that are the problem. We can see the emotions we attach to the thoughts as the problem. Ideally, if we could turn our negative emotions off, ramp up our positive ones and/or separate our rational thoughts from our emotional responses, then achieving an altered state would be easier.<br /><br />I seem to have ruled out all means of facilitating our own highs and peaks. It can be done. We might find success by vigilantly practicing one of the three components of peak performance – like focusing. As I emphasize in previous articles, however, it takes practice, practice and more practice. Where I do think we might have more success is in rediscovering the concept of “enjoyment.”<br /><br />Interestingly, many articles, particularly on trail or ultra running point to the genuine enjoyment top performing runners derive from their pursuits. And enjoyment is one thing that is difficult to dissect and compartmentalize. I think too that children are better at finding activities that they naturally enjoy and ones in which they end up engaging in for hours on end. In pure enjoyment, thoughts that lead to judgements and elicit emotional responses subside; focus ensues and; challenge is inherent. All three components – focus, challenge and enjoyment – come together naturally. Thus the best approach to facilitating runner’s high is probably no approach at all. Just enjoy the ride!<br /><br /><br /><br />© 2006<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,255,153)">Click on the (very small) "Comments" link below to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span> <p></p><p><b><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Further Reads</span></b></p><p></p><ul><li><strong>Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. </strong>Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi. Harper and Row, 1990. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li><strong></strong><p><strong>Flow in Sports: The keys to optimal experiences and performances. </strong>Mihalyi Csikszentmihaly and Susan Jackson. Human Kinetics, 1990.<strong></p></li></ul><br /></strong>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-1145877838205611912006-04-24T07:18:00.000-04:002006-04-26T21:01:28.236-04:00The elusive search for runner’s high<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><br />When we think of “runner’s high”, we often conjure up thoughts of this burst of incredible energy that makes running seem almost effortless. Ask some people and they will tell you that the cause is adrenaline, others point to the role of serotonin or dopamine in the high. Interestingly, many ultra runners report an absence of a high. Some say that they have simply never experienced such a state. Others claim that it is not possible in ultras or on trails because there are too many moments of mental anguish, not enjoyment, making the high an impossible achievement.<br /><br />There are truths in all of these lines of thinking. By examining the role of the various hormones and neurochemicals potentially produced during a run, two themes begin to emerge. The first concerns an individual’s ability to affect his or her own “running high” through various mental processes and the second focuses on the length of time involved in such a high.<br /><br /><strong>Is adrenaline really a factor?</strong><br />Adrenaline is not likely responsible for creating the runner’s high given that this altered state of consciousness lasts more than a couple of seconds. Adrenaline in this case is a part of the body’s stress-response system that may work against our attempts to slip into a state of effortless running.<br /><br />The body has several ways of handling stress, each response differing slightly based upon the duration of the stressful event. Coming across a bear in the woods, for example, may lead to a burst of energy allowing us to sprint away. The bear, the stimuli in this case, is interpreted automatically as a threat by our brain, triggering a negative emotional reaction by our amygdala. We actually have two amygdalae, one in each hemisphere of our brain. They are little almond shaped nodules that are part of our emotional response, or limbic system (see Diagram 1 below).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/1600/limbic%20new.4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/400/limbic%20new.3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Note: While the amygdale are two separately functioning<br />units, scientists often refer only to the singular form - the <span style="font-style: italic;">amygdala.</span><br /><br />Diagram 1</span> <br /></div><br />Although there are different pathways through which information from the senses can be relayed to our amygdala, automatic responses are parlayed directly through the thalamus, which receives most of the brain’s sensory information. The hypothalamus is then triggered, signaling the adrenal glands, which secrete the hormones ephinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine into the bloodstream and in turn carrying them to target organs.<br /><br />Although this response does create a burst of energy for the body, it is not sustainable beyond a couple of seconds. The two hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are also responsible for raising the heart rate and blood pressure, quickening breathing and inhibiting digestion, would make it increasingly difficult to sustain the elevated pace. As well, this is an automatic emotional response. The direct route from stimuli to thalamus to amygdala means that there is no room for logical thinking to size up the situation. However, this “bear” might be an outhouse. The cortex, the part of the brain that is involved in higher levels of cognition requires more time to process thoughts than the direct route of response triggered by the amygdala (see Diagram 2 below). If our cortex does indeed decide that this large brown spot is an outhouse and not a bear, then our parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and our elevated heart rate and other responses meant to get us fast and far from the bear are returned to normal and our adrenaline-stimulated state ceases.<br /><p></p> <p align="left"><br /></p><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/1600/response%20options.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/320/response%20options.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diagram 2</span><br /></div> <p><br />On the other hand, we may determine that this brown spot in the woods is actually a bear. Similarly, in long distance runs we need more energy to maintain the increased stress load on our bodies. To address this need, our bodies produce the hormone cortisol to tap into reserve stores of energy (i.e. fat stores). Unfortunately, its effects can be quite detrimental. For example, cortisol depresses the reproductive system because it is not an essential function when the body is under duress. It also suppresses the immune system to prevent it from overreacting to injury and damaging tissues. With runners, sustained cortisol production might surface as a decrease in body weight and amenhorrea in female runners.<br /><br />Additionally, cortisol is thought to inhibit the hippocampus yet excite the amygdala, both having consequences for our emotional behavior (refer again to Diagram 1 above). The hippocampus, for example, is responsible for converting short to long-term memory and for retrieving information about past events. Inhibiting our long-term memory capabilities might be a factor in producing the runner’s high since we associate emotions with past events (for example, we often will remember how fabulous or how awful a run was on a certain course). Suppressing our long-term memory might make it easier to enjoy the activity we are engaged in at the moment. However, cortisol’s ability to excite the amygdala, would make it challenging to keep our emotions at bay while running. Although the amygdala lends itself to the production of both negative and positive emotions, cortisol is more likely to be associated with the production of negative emotions. This might provide some insight into the tendency to be overly emotional in an ultra event. Several runners have shared stories of emotionally charged experiences in 100 mile events, describing anger and upset to a self-conviction to pull out close to the finish only to regret the decision the next day.<br /><br /><strong>Relaxation Response</strong><br />It is possible to limit the excess production of cortisol in our bodies. One method is through relaxation techniques. A number of different approaches can help runners to relax thus preventing the potentially detrimental effects this hormone has on our bodies and our minds. These include progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, breathing techniques and others. Although the production of a certain amount of cortisol may be inevitable in running ultra distances, relaxation exercises can address its excessive and prolonged production. This response is a learned activity that needs to be practiced in order to have the effect of decreasing our oxygen consumption, and lowering our heart and respiratory rates (among other physiological responses) in order to prevent our body and mind’s automatic response to outside stress. Relaxation is not, however, thought to create a runner’s high. Scientists believe that these techniques may only open the doorway to an altered state of consciousness.<br /><br /><strong>Second Second Wind Theory</strong><br />There are several mental practices runners can engage in to facilitate a high. Interestingly, runners may be positioned to experience a high simply through the act of running. Several authors who have studied this “high” point to the fourty to sixty-minute time frame it takes in a run for the initial high to potentially set in. It is the rhythmic patterning of our feet that is thought to initiate and sustain the process. Similar to rhythmic dancing and drumming, the patterned running causes a recurrent shift in our body fluids, particularly our blood. At the same time, our breathing, which also takes on rhythmic characteristics, causes oscillations in our heart rate and ultimately, oscillations in our blood pressure. This results in a slowing of the heart rate and a reduction in cortical arousal (outer layers of our brain) and excitability.<br /><br />This may be brought on by serotonin, which also changes as a result of the rhythmic patterning happening in our body during a run. This is the neurochemical that we often associate with depression. Under normal conditions, serotonin is transmitted between neurons through a process of releasing the chemical from one receptor and taking it up in another. However, driven by the rhythmic patterning, the enzyme conformation of serotonin cells changes and its uptake is inhibited. This is thought to impede the functioning of one hemisphere of our limbic system (see Diagrams 3a below). In other words, we begin to see things a bit differently as we draw our perceptions from mainly one side of our brain. The ensuing lighthearted view of the world is what the theory’s author, Arnold Mandell calls the “First Wind” of a runner’s high.<br /><br /><br /></p> <p align="left"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/1600/hemispheres.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/320/hemispheres.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diagram 3a (above) and 3b (below)</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Notre: The limbic system is an abstract construction </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">used to describe components of our brain that are </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">involved in the regulation of our emotions.</span><br /></p><p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/1600/prefrontal%20cortex.3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/400/prefrontal%20cortex.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />As our feet continue in the same rhythmic patterning, Mandell thinks that serotonin cells may experience sensitivity to themselves, causing the arrest and release of both hemispheres of our limbic system. Consequently, our ability to respond with negative emotions is subdued. Outwardly, we experience the cessation of pain, hunger, thirst, anger and depression. The resultant discharge in the limbic system’s hippocampal-septal pathway is thought to create the feeling of “bliss” while running. Mandell calls this our second wind.<br /><br />Meditation can also achieve a blissful state of being.<br /><br /><strong>The Role of Dopamine<br /></strong><br />Scientists that have been studying the effects of meditation on Monks have shown an increase in the neurochemical dopamine when a state of “bliss” is experienced. The increase is measured in the left prefrontal cortex (refer to Diagram 3b above). This part of our brain is rich in interconnections with our limbic system. It is possible therefore, that there is a relationship in the roles of serotonin and dopamine in creating the runner’s high.<br /><br />Interestingly, long distance running and meditation share some common practices. Mindfulness meditation, the type investigated in experiments with Buddhist Monks, involves two distinct activities. The first is the focusing of our thoughts on a single object. The second related activity is the “letting go” of thoughts as they arise. Focusing certainly narrows the field of stimuli open to influencing our brains. And learning to let go of thoughts as they arise means that we are simultaneously letting go of emotional responses we automatically attach to these thoughts. Both of these activities may influence our brain’s synthesis of serotonin, suppressing our ability to react negatively and ultimately, contributing to the feeling of a “high.”<br /><br />In ultra running, we have the opportunity to practice more meditative-like processes. Although focusing our thoughts for an extended period of time may be challenging, we can practice “letting go” of thoughts, especially ones closely associated with negative emotions. The longer the distances, the more apt we might be to let our mind wander and to give into thoughts that can put us out of a race. For example, we may exaggerate our physical pain; we may be brought to tears by our efforts and refuse to go on; or we may simply convince ourselves that the distance is not worth it. In hindsight, and for runners that have experienced these thoughts, some recognize that their thinking was overly emotional during a long distance race. For those that endure ultra distances, especially 100 mile events, they have usually learned that their mind will pass through negative stages and they have also learned to let go of these diversions. This is not an easy practice. In fact, recent research on emotions by Joseph LeDoux shows that the amygdala may automatically prioritize what stimuli it responds to. Further, LeDoux shows that we never actually erase old fears, we only replace them with less-averse fears. He also details how difficult it may be for our thoughts to actually control our fears and anxieties. This is true due to the many more neural pathways that run from the amygdala to the cortex than vice versa. LeDoux’s research reiterates the difficulties with conscious efforts to change our thinking as I am suggesting here.<br /><br />One last thought: This concerns whether the “high” is fueled by the inhibition of our negative emotional response mechanisms, as the Second Second Wind Theory demonstrates, or if it is fueled by engagement in positive thoughts. Even though both theories touch upon the releasing or inhibition of our negative emotions, it is in studies of meditation that we learn of the influence of dopamine in creating the high. Still, with different meditative practices, focused thoughts are not specifically positive in nature. The meditator may be repeating a word (e.g. “om”), focusing on his/her breath or an object off in the distance. This suggests that the “high” is obtainable through the practice of releasing and/or inhibiting our negative emotional response mechanisms. The feeling of bliss is a positive benefit/outcome of the process. Interestingly, scientists think that stimulation of the pleasure mechanism has the effect of inhibiting our fear response system and vice-versa.<br /><br />Thus runner’s high, which is not a temporary rush but an extended state of feeling quite blissful is not an adrenaline-based reaction to stress. It can be facilitated through the process of both focusing and letting go of our thoughts. Relaxation exercises can assist this process. Rhythmic running can also assist the process or alternatively, it can be involuntarily responsible for the high under the right circumstances.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Exercise To Try: Releasing thoughts.<br /></strong><br />Pick a run that is around one and half hours and try the following exercise: (You need to be running alone to try this) </p><p>During your first half hour, concentrate only on relaxing your body as you run. If you feel relaxed, great, if not, still continue on with the next part. While you carry on running, pay attention to every thought you have that arises in your mind. As soon as a thought arises, let it go. It helps to actually visualize yourself letting go of the thought. You can pretend to move it out of your head with your hand or you can watch it travel through your mind, from one side to the next before releasing it. Repeat for each subsequent thought that arises in your mind. You will probably be distracted at one point or another. That’s okay – just start where you left off. You need to keep going with this exercise for the duration of your run.<br /></p><p>You can work your running thoughts into this exercise by releasing those thoughts that arise that are specific to your running – for example, you may find yourself saying, “step up over the curve,” or “go to the right of that pedestrian” etc. This is okay. Just be aware that these are thoughts as are all others and let go of them as soon as you are aware of them. This is a challenging exercise. You may want to start with smaller periods of time and extend that period as you become better at releasing.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Next article</strong>….Something about reaching the high through positive affect<br /><br />© 2006<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">Click on the (very small) "Comments" link below to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span></p><p><b><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Further Reads</span></b></p><p></p><ul><li><strong>Mastery of Emotions.</strong> Joseph LeDoux. <em>Scientific American Mind. </em>March 2006. <p></p></li><li><strong>Names in the Temporal Lobe.</strong> <a href="http://www.psycheducation.org/emotion/temporal%20names.htm">www.psycheducation.org/emotion/temporal%20names.htm</a> <p></p></li><li><strong></strong><p><strong>Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness.</strong><em> </em>Deiter Vaitl et al. <em>Psychological Bulletin</em>. Vol.131, No.1. 2005. </p></li><li><strong>Relax!…It ain’t easy (or is it?).</strong> Clay P. Sherman and Artur Poczwardowski. <em>Doing Sport Psychology.</em> Mark B. Anderson (Ed.) Human Kinetics, 2000. <p></p></li><li><p><strong>States of Mind.</strong> Edited by Roberta Conlan. John Wiley & Sons, 1999.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Amygdala and its allies.</strong> <em>The Brain From Top to Bottom.</em><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.thebrain.mcgill.ca">www.thebrain.mcgill.ca</a></p></li><li><p><strong>The Amygdala and the Emotions.</strong> Ben Best. <a href="http://www.benbest.com/science/anatmind/anatmd9.html">www.benbest.com/science/anatmind/anatmd9.html</a> </p></li><li><p><strong>The Running Meditation Response.</strong> Ann K. Bumpus and Earl G. Solomon. <em>Psychology of Running.</em> Michael H. Sacks and Michael L. Sachs. (Eds.). Human Kinetics, 1981.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Second Second Wind.</strong> Arnold J. Mandell. <em>Psychology of Running.</em> Michael H. Sacks and Michael L. Sachs (Eds). Human Kinetics, 1981.</p></li></ul><p></p><ul></ul><p><strong>Anything by Richard Davidson! Try… </strong></p><p></p><ul><li><strong>Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation.</strong> Richard Davidson, John Kabat-Zin et. al. <em>Psychosomatic Medicine</em>, 65, 564-570. 2003. <a href="http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/</span></a></li></ul><strong><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p></strong>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-1137032179592428362006-01-11T20:20:00.000-05:002006-01-11T22:36:28.006-05:00Ultra running: A primer for love?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/1600/ultrarun-love.jpg"></a><br /><p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><br /><p align="left"><p><br />Variations on the theme of love have popped up in countless conversations with runners both on the trail and off. Having been lucky enough to experience it myself, ultra running and love, I have long admired the couples that have bonded over running and continue to share their passion beyond the trails. At the same time, I inquire into other runners’ marital status, and I am time and again surprised to learn that many remain single. Although I come to expect it among my non-running friends and acquaintances, it seems somehow incompatible with ultra running. How can this happen when we are so privileged as to mingle with states of bliss brought on by 10, 20, 50 or 100 mile runs? <strong>*</strong> I no longer refer to these states as “runner’s high” because I think they embody so much more than the temporary state of mind implied by this phrase. In a recent experience during a 10 mile social run, for example, we had just returned to the host’s house when several people started to talk about feeling giddy and peaceful from the morning’s run. It wasn’t the first time that I had witnessed conversation flowing so easily among runners. I left that day with a feeling that I had experienced something very special. Reflecting upon it, I wonder how our experiences with running bliss differ from experiences of true love. I think that the bliss we feel during and after runs may in fact be of the same composition found in real love. To better understand this proposition, we need to examine the different types of love and how they surface in our being.<br /><br /><strong>The Essence of our Being</strong><br />For centuries, philosophers have wondered about the nature of our being. Borrowing from various thinkers, I find if useful to imagine each of us as possessing a core with layers of our personality built around this center. Our ego then mediates our experiences with life. Our personality can be conceptualized as the channel through which our fears, distrust, reactions, dishonesty, aggression, perceptions, resentments and defenses flow. The following diagram may help in understanding this construction of the self:<br /><br /></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6762/1775/320/ultra-run-2.0.jpg" border="0" /><br />What lies at our core is one of the central issues of every religion, philosophy and spiritual practice. It is sometimes described as the essence of our being. I believe that through running, and possibly through various other pursuits such as meditation, drumming etc., we are able to strip down the built layers and experience life through our core; through the essence of our being. This space in time is often what is referred to as the “present moment”. In this state of being, we are focused only on what is happening around us at every occurring moment. We are not consumed with thoughts of the past or those of the future. Therefore stress and anxiety are absent. It is not that thoughts or accompanying emotions disappear, it is that we are able to let go of them just as easily as they have appeared.<br /><br /><strong>Love and the Present Moment</strong><br />What we are able to feel in the present moment is a real or true form of love. Buddhism calls it “absolute” love as it is not open to subjective interpretation. It just <em>is</em>. It is similar to the pure state of love felt between parents and a newborn child. Many who experience this state, however, whether in running, with a newborn or upon the spark of meeting a new love, also claim to experience its dissolution over time. I can think of friends who have joked that the giddiness of fresh love disappears as the stresses and overwhelming challenges of everyday life take over. I would argue that their love turns from absolute to relative.<br /><br /><strong>Relative Love</strong><br />As I ponder it further, I wonder whether we are conditioned to think of the components of love in more rational or practical terms. For example, how many conversations have we engaged in where it has been said that the following factors need to be considered in pursuit of real love: chemistry, situational limitations, type, our individual ability to give or receive at certain time in our lives, our state of personal development or even our individual levels of awareness and flexibility. Each of these components of time or circumstance means that love is contingent or conditional on something or someone else. These conditions represent relative love. Loving someone in this way is mediated through the outer layers or our personality. As we change, so too may our love for our partners. This may lead us to believe that love is based primarily on a constant negotiation or dovetailing of our needs with those of another.<br /><strong><br />Relation to Running</strong><br />Getting back to running, I wonder why we are able to nurture states of bliss throughout time in running, in spite of our changing nature. Could it be that it is easier to enter into the present moment when we do not have to contend with other human beings? Or is it simply a matter of running endlessly to conjure up this state on a more consistent basis? Many runners are oblivious as to how to nurture this state. Perhaps they view it as contingent on a great number of variables from their current mood, their state of physical fitness, what they ate or did not eat before a run, the weather or any number of other extraneous factors. This is rather akin to the concept of relative love. Experiencing bliss or entering into the present moment in running can in fact be nurtured. Accepting all things and occurrences just as they are, is a key to entry. Similarly, acceptance is the key to experiencing a very similar state, what I am calling absolute love, in the everyday.<br /><br /><strong>Acceptance as the Key to Running Bliss and Love</strong><br />Transitioning through the outer layers of our being is achievable by accepting all things, all people just as they are, just as they occur. As I have mentioned in other articles, it is the act of letting go of judgements and emotional attachments to other people, things and events that facilitates entry into the present moment. Sometimes this happens to us spontaneously during the act of running but for those who practice, it can be facilitated. Either way, I think that we are very fortunate to experience different ways of being, or versions of ourselves through running. To enable learning and growth from these experiences with the present moment, we need to reflect. In this reflection, we will be able to see that in our states of running bliss we are accepted just as we are by others. Similarly, we accept others just for who they are. It is through the process of acceptance that we can transit into a state of bliss, making running itself feel effortless. Similarly, it is in the same process of accepting ourselves, others and events just for what they are that enables us to transit from the experience of relative to absolute love. If others can like us without our ego turned on or our defenses mounted, then we can hopefully find more courage to live closer to the core of who we are. The reality of love, or experiencing “running bliss” is that it is marked by the interweaving of the “perfect and imperfect, finite and infinite and absolute and relative.” It takes practice, knowledge, understanding and patience to make this transition from operating primarily from our outer layers to that of our core.<br /><br />Ultra running is a tool that allows us to experience states of bliss. It is then up to us to transfer the lessons learned from running into the everyday. Otherwise, ultra running may be nothing more than a venue that allows us to experience but an extended moment of bliss. To try and recreate this state in our everyday lives, we can challenge ourselves to find love in others and ourselves “in spite of and together with their [and our] weaknesses, errors and imperfections”. Running is therefore, but a primer for love, both teaching us and giving us a basecoat to work with. <p>© 2006<br />-----------------<br /><strong>*</strong> I use the term “running” throughout this article. In all cases, “ultra running” is implied. <p><br /><strong>Note:</strong> A fundamental question concerning this article is the distinction between love shared between two people and love felt for all sentient beings. The latter represents a more universal love commonly referred to in Buddhism and in other philosophies/religions. Although this is an important distinction, further analysis into the topic is beyond the scope of this article.<br /><br /><br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="color:#66ff99;">Click on the "Comments" link to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span></p><p><b><span style="color:#ffffff;">Further Reads</span></b></p><p></p><ul><li><strong>Can We Cure Fear?</strong> Marc Siegel in Scientific American Mind, Volume 16, Number 4, 2005 <p></p></li><li><strong>Control Your Anger!</strong> Iris Mauss in Scientific American Mind, Volume 16, Number 4, 2005. <p></p></li><li><p><strong>Erasing Memories.</strong> R. Douglas Fields in Scientific American Mind, Volume 16, Number 4, 2005.</p></li><li><p><strong>Exploding the Self-Esteem Myth.</strong> Roy F. Baumeister, Jennifer D. Campbell, Joachim I. Krueger and Kathleen D. Vohs in Scientific American Mind, Volume 16, Number 4, 2005.</p></li></ul><p><p></p></li><li><p><strong>No Time To Lose.</strong> Pema Chodron in Shambhala Sun, January 2006. <p></p></li><li><p><strong>The Perfect Love We Seek, The Imperfect Love We Live.</strong> John Welwood in Shambhala Sun, January 2006. <p></p></li><ul></ul><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><strong></strong>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-1134173458492782172005-12-09T19:09:00.000-05:002005-12-10T11:46:12.793-05:00Ultra runners: Masochists or pleasure seekers?<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><blockquote><p><em>With every step on the trail I could feel the flood of pain. It would start at the ball of my foot and travel quickly up the sides, bringing about the nauseating feeling of separation at the arch. But it is the jarring pain beneath my heel that keeps my mind from indulging too deeply in this sensation. I begin to wonder why I keep going…<br /></em><br /><em>I never do have to answer this question because as quickly as it surfaces it disappears – that is, the question, the pain and my obsessive focus on its pathway in my body. Instead of pervading thoughts of grief, my mind seems to switch gears as I relax once again into my run and a state of enjoyment returns.<br /></em></p></blockquote><p><br /><p align="left"><p><br />I do contemplate my experiences with pain and running as I know that it isn’t something that influences me to run less, to change activities or to quit en route. Several times the term “masochist” has been thrown my way by non-runners but I pay scant attention to their diatribe as I find incredible pleasure in my experiences with running long distances. This poses an interesting question as to our understanding of the term. Western perspectives tend to focus on the relationship between masochism and narcissism, or the pain-pleasure cycle as it is more commonly known. If the idea is explored further, looking to Eastern philosophy, particularly Buddhism, we can arrive at a different understanding, one that delves into the mechanics of pleasure. It is particularly this concept, pleasure, that I find infinitely perplexing. Ultimately, I think that we need to come to a new understanding of its meaning in the West.<br /><br />To begin, we need to understand pain. In a very interesting, yet somewhat outdated article entitled, “Masochism and Long Distance Running,” self-confessed non-runner Arnold Cooper asserts that long distance runners are masochists indeed, although this is not necessarily a “bad” thing. It all depends on an individual’s existing sense of identity and the way they go about further building that identity. According to Freudian thought, which was prominent in Western psychology in the eighties, the process begins with subconscious attempts to establish ourselves as separate beings from our birth figure. In fact, finding independence and building self-identity are activities pursued throughout our entire lives. They are not easy tasks though. Engaging in pain-conquering rituals is one way to gain freedom from the feeling of dependency on someone or something else. It is the mastery, not the avoidance of pain that represents a major achievement in self-development.<br /><br />Ultimately, the feeling of mastery leaves us with a sense of pleasure. With this perspective on masochism, Cooper argues that long distance running can indeed serve as a relatively harmless method to achieve independence of the self. In this sense, pleasure can be thought of as a “tickling of the mind”. This is quite a different understanding than the sensory-based meaning normally associated with the term. A little tickle under the foot, for example, can bring a sense of pleasure. And too much tickle under the foot might just create a foot fetish!<br /><br />Are the two really any different – mental and sensual pleasure? Is the ultra runner who abandons his family and responsibilities time and time again any better than the hedonist who seeks his/her thrills from carefree indulgence in sex, drugs, food or status symbols? Perhaps, as the pursuit of sensory pleasures can be relentless, unfulfilling and at great costs to the self, others and the environment, sometimes manifesting as gluttony or addiction.<br /><br />Yet running can also manifest as an addiction. This represents the very fine line between healthy and unhealthy attitudes towards pain and pleasure. Ironically, runners’ approach to pain may indicate where they are in relation to that line. Physical pain can only be “conquered” so many times. We are fallible creatures. There is an alternative approach to dealing with pain. There is also another type of pleasure possible, one that might more closely resemble happiness.<br /><br />Scientists are only beginning to explore the science of happiness and not coincidentally, are looking to the East to facilitate their understanding. What they have found is an area of our brain, the left prefrontal cortex that is primarily responsible for the experiencing of positive emotions. Neuroscientists like Dr. Richard Davidson have found that both the expectation of achieving a goal and the process of mindfulness meditation can stimulate this area and produce a state of happiness (for an explanation of mindfulness and its relation to ultra running, see the October 2005 article, “Approaches to Peak Performance”).<br /><br />Given these insights, I think that viewpoints from Western psychology, like that of Cooper, are incisive yet limited on the topic of long distance running and masochism. “Pleasure” or “happiness” can be achieved without having to master something. In fact, Eastern philosophy, and particularly Buddhism teaches that there is value in non-doing, non-striving and non-mastery. Enjoyment is possible if we accept all things as they are and learn not to attach judgement to them. In ultra running, this could translate to running simply because one enjoys the experience from the physical act, to the trails and beyond. With this perspective, Cooper’s assertion of long distance runners as masochists is rather tenuous. It would mean that some people are motivated to run long distances not by a subconscious need to master pain.<br /><br />Similarly, if we look to a Buddhist perspective on pain, we learn that it is the mind that judges the intensity of the experience and subsequently attaches a label to it (e.g. very painful, unbearably painful, hurtful). An event is an event is an event. Death and pain are inevitable experiences in life. Learning the transient, or brief nature of all events comes with the practice of mindful awareness. Letting go of our focus on pain while running is something many seasoned ultra runners are able to do. It is also through this process of becoming mindfully aware that we are able to achieve true independence from all objects/persons/events. Recall that healthy masochism can also lead to independence. In realistic terms, this means practicing the art of letting go of our incessant thoughts of pain (and other thoughts) that will eventually manifest as needs and desires. This applies equally to everyday life as it does to running.<br /><br />This leads to another important point. I do not think that Cooper is exactly wrong in his assertion of long distance runners as masochists. I think that there are as many different ultra runners as there are apples these days. In the west, I think that the push to master our environment and our being is as prevalent now as it was in the past. To say ultra running is a substitute for meditation is far from the truth. It has its similarities but to truly engage in a process of identity building, and true independence, we need to understand this from many perspectives, not solely from a Western approach or solely from that of Eastern philosophy. Additionally, the path to true independence is itself a goal-less process. There is no destination. One starts on the path and learns as one practices.<br /><br />Therefore, I think that there is evidence of ultra runners who are driven to master their experience. They may last in ultra running or they may go onto the next pursuit and never quite figure out why they can’t find enjoyment or satisfaction. Then there are runners who seem to run endlessly. These are the ones you will pass at mile 1 and mile 99 who still have that same look of simple pleasure on their faces. </p><p>© 2005<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="color:#66ff99;">Click on the "Comments" link to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span></p><p><b><span style="color:#FFFFFF;">Further Reads</span></b></p><p></p><ul><li>Shambhala Sun (magazine) <p></p></li><li>Psychology of Running. Michael H. Sacks & Michael L. Sachs, Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., 1981. <p></p></li><li><p>Richard Davidson, Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience, <a href="http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/">http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/</a> </p></li><li><p>Mind and Life Institute, <a href="http://www.mindandlife.com/">http://www.mindandlife.com/</a><br /></p></li></ul><p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18208722.post-1130113770007201282005-10-23T20:22:00.000-04:002005-12-10T11:40:15.353-05:00Approaches to peak performance<p><a href="#comments">Skip to the bottom to view or add comments.</a></p><blockquote><p>Running up the trail in the morning’s soft light and sweet dew I found my mind wandering into spaces I thought only possible in yoga. I was all alone amidst the intriguing browns and brilliant greens of the forest yet began to feel this amazing sense of connection with everything around me. My feet moved effortlessly over the trail’s soft flooring as I easily sauntered up hills, my muscles functioning in unison like a brilliant symphonic harmony. For over an hour my movements flowed over the landscape of what felt like heaven on earth until that dreadful moment when I was, without warning, popped back into grim reality. I stumbled on a root I had never before seen and my thoughts turned to anger as my gracious state slipped away just as easily as it had appeared. If only…if only I could nurture this state on every run, in every race…then, then I could win myself a first, a second or even a third place finish. </p></blockquote><p></p><br /><br /><p align="left"><p><br />Many of us can identify with this magical state of mind at some stage in our running careers. In fact, the “peak experience” or “runner’s high” as they are commonly referred are not uncommon. It is true too that we could probably turn out better performances if we were able to nurture these states on a longer-term basis. But how practical is this in ultra running? Not too practical given the inordinate amount of time required of the 50 and 100 mile runs, the unexpected occurrences like falls and going off route and the sheer boredom from the lack of anything to truly do except engage in perpetual forward motion. That said, there are some runners who are able to endure a state of complete focus no matter what the situation. Mihalyhi Csikszentmihayi who made famous the concept of “flow” is adamant that learning to focus is the key to improving performance. Knowing the inherent difficulty of this act in ultra running, I propose that performance improvement is more complex than simply the act of focusing on an object. If we look to Eastern philosophies, especially those of Buddhism, we can certainly learn more about this process. However, I think that neither Eastern philosophy nor Western psychology alone can provide a full perspective on performance enhancement, or the process of fostering human potential, as it is commonly referred. In fact, I will go as far as saying that the “peak performance” is marred with “ordinariness”. This ordinariness has a twist, however – a very compelling twist.<br /><br />The first mistake we tend to make is to believe that we are not capable of performing. This article is about the mental side of ultra running, not about the physical aspects. For that there are books, magazines, trainers and clubs. The starting place is therefore to understand the difference between a peak performance and a peak experience. Continue to think of the latter as some mysticalplace to where we are transported when mind, body and soul appear to be completely in sync. It feels amazing but the state is just that – a state, and one that is most temporary in nature. We don’t learn its attributes nor do we learn how to handle the stressors that can pop us out of this mindset. Focusing on an object, whether this is a point in our bodies or in the environment can lead to a peak experience. A feeling of bliss or joy is the reward at the end of the process.<br /><br />Peak performance, on the other hand, is a frame of mind we can attain and sustain. The key is in learning how to handle life’s stressors, and in learning to enjoy the process en route to our goals. As compared to the peak experience, it is not an end state we hope to arrive at. Rather, the joy associated with peak performance is realized through a process of developing moment-by-moment awareness. Again, in the East they call this bliss. In the West we call it a well-adjusted personality. However simple it sounds, it may be the most challenging aspect of human nature – one that can make the act of focusing and peak experiences seem like simpler options.<br /><br />To better understand the differences between peak performance and peak experiences, it is important to understand the chaotic and complex nature of our minds. In a recent edition of Scientific American Mind, author Christof Koch explains how images are formulated in the brain;<br /></p><blockquote></blockquote><p></p><br />The brain is an amazingly dynamic organ. Millions of neurons in all corners of our gray matter send out an endless stream of signals. Many of the neurons appear to fire spontaneously, without any recognizable triggers. Any mental activity is accompanied by a ceaseless crescendo and diminuendo of background processing.<br /><br />And yet it is very difficult to focus our attention on a single object for any extended period. Our awareness jumps constantly from one input to another.<br /><p></p><blockquote></blockquote><p></p><br />Within this chaos and complexity, we are constantly accepting, rejecting and categorizing information from the external world. Much of this process occurs outside of our own levels of awareness. Whether referred to as our unconscious mind or other concepts, the information rests somewhere within ourselves. It is a gradual, multisourced weaving and building process calling upon our bodies, emotional sensing abilities, intuition and other sources that bring it into our “zone of awareness“. Think of how the runner in the vignette at the start of this article is attuned to the small details on their run. In a peak experience our senses are heightened. We notice very ordinary events or objects with greater intensity than in our everyday state of mind. This is an example of information traveling from our normal state of consciousness into awareness. In a peak experience or performance, our thoughts are slowed down and we are able to focus our attention or awareness on single objects for extended periods. The question is how can we arrive at this state of awareness in light of the chaotic and complex default state of our minds.<br /><br />Evidently, learning object-based focusing is one pathway in and one way to improve our running performance. Practice, practice and more practice is the only way we learn to quiet the incessant categorization or fanatical neuronal wanderings of our mind. Focus on footsteps, a heartbeat, a spot on the horizon or on the trail ahead; listen to music, count repetitively. Practice outside of running. Practice inside of running. Just practice. But be warned, if it isn’t a nasty fall or lack of trail markers leading you far off course that interrupts your focus, your mind will flood with thoughts of stopping when pain and boredom nastily sneak up on you at your most vulnerable moment. I’ve talked with runners who have convinced themselves to drop out at the 95 mile mark in a 100 mile race. Every runner subsequently talks of the pain of not finishing in the days following an event. Again, only by living through these experiences do we learn that “we” are somehow stronger than our minds. We also learn that some parts of our mind are like gutless creatures that seek comfort when faced with hard mental challenges. But those who do use focusing in ultra running, and use it successfully, have also come to understand that that part of the mind that tries to control us will also diminish in strength if we refuse to pacify it and give into its whims. What runners using this approach have come to understand is the transient nature of thoughts and/or emotions, an Eastern concept leading to a very interesting question: If we are focusing on an object and able to run through the whimperings of our mind, does it follow that we have reached a happy state of being? Eastern philosophy describes a state of joy or bliss that lies at the end of the focusing process.<br /><br />Before I address this question, I will make an argument for moving beyond object-based focusing as a performance enhancement technique. A new initiative through the Mind and Life Institute has been launched over the past several years involving the Dalai Lama, several key Western philosophers, psychologists and neurologists. One of the main findings points to similarities in neuronal responses between people experiencing positive emotions in anticipation of reaching a goal and people experiencing feelings of bliss associated with mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness differs from object-based focusing in both technique and state. Attention is broadened to as many mental and physical events as possible as they occur, instead of being restricted to only one object. As an alternative to the temporary suppression of our drives as with object-based focusing, mindfulness leads to a state of tranquility or bliss by helping us to recognize the impermanent nature of all phenomena. In terms of ultra running, this can be interpreted to mean the recognition that all states of mind, whether frustration, pain, sadness or happiness, are temporary. This appears to be the same result as with the act of object-based focusing. But there is a difference, however, in how it is achieved. In mindful awareness, we learn the transient nature of events as they occur from moment to moment. In object-based focusing, we only learn this lesson once we reach the mystical state that lies at the end of the process. Neither approach is any easier than the other. In fact, nurturing mindful awareness may be just as difficult and time consuming as nurturing a state of object-based focus. Mindful awareness is however, more sustainable over the long term, hence the associated use of the term “peak performance” versus “peak experience”. Ironically, if we follow all the tenets of Eastern philosophy, it is written that learning the art of object-based focusing is rather like “step 1” on the path to permanent tranquility or bliss. Step 2 is mindful awareness. This knowledge might be integral to the process of its learning. In other words, learn to focus on objects first before learning to expand awareness to events that occur from moment to moment.<br /><br />The issue of the ordinariness of performing is also relevant. It is precisely mindful awareness that is illustrative of the triviality in fostering our potential as humans. Using this method, we are not hoping to reach a state of magical bliss by tuning out all stimuli around us. Rather, we incorporate everything into our awareness with the addition of learning to accept and let-go of emotional attachment to events and objects. During runs, this might mean chatting with others of similar pacing (when our breath can hold up), being completely aware of approaching runners, roots on the trail, route markers, our breathing, our posture, the weather, the trees, the plants etc. etc. We are aware but this is where the thought stops. We do not continue to formulate a “judgment” such as “the plant is beautiful” or “I’m scared the runner behind me will pass me and win”. We just keep on running. In other words, we are experiencing the very ordinary act of trail running.<br /><br />I return now to the question of bliss or joy, which is found either at the end of the object-based focusing process or is experienced as part of mindful awareness. As bliss is a term more closely associated with Eastern meditation practices, I alternatively use the terms joy or happiness. So far, I’ve drawn these arguments from my Master’s paper where I looked at the dynamics of fostering human potential in ultra running. What I didn’t look at specifically were personality traits. An interesting question is whether top performing ultra runners, who use either focusing techniques or instinctively practice mindful awareness have a happier disposition marked by positive attitudes. I suggest that these runners tend toward a positive mindset. A concept exemplified in the understanding that the same area of our brain is stimulated when we experience joy associated with the anticipation of completing our goals and when we engage in the practice of mindful awareness. This could be interpreted to mean that we could at least improve our performance if we set and recognize small goals throughout a race. Many of the top performers I spoke with do in fact follow this route. I propose another possible interpretation. Although I hate to get on the “power of positive thinking” bandwagon, I do think this concept holds value. Perhaps what we need to do is look more closely at the dynamics of happiness as reflected in Csikszentmihalyi’s theories that intricately bind the concepts of focusing and enjoyment. If this is taken one step further, I suggest that happiness, or enjoyment, is more closely related to mindful awareness than Csikszentmihalyi’s object-based focusing theory. There appears to be a very subtle balance between becoming aware and stimulating our pleasure centers that can only be attained through a time-intensive learning process. This is the compelling twist. What I am advocating for is a well-adjusted personality that rests somewhere closer to a state of happiness rather than that of neutrality. True happiness, however, is not an easy endeavor. Nothing is worse than meeting a vamped-up happy person who is but a constituent of our growing Prozac nation or one who forces a happy state only when in the public eye.<br /><br />In summary, I have presented several ideas on approaches to improving mental aspects of our performance in ultra running, drawing on both Eastern philosophy and Western psychology. These range from focusing in on an object to directing awareness to every event/object in every moment. In both cases, I suggest that a positive attitude needs to underlie these approaches. The overriding goal is to work towards a sustained or peak performance, not a temporary high found in a peak experience. What is certain, and what I have attempted to highlight in this article, is that any strategy reserved only for the confines of a sanctioned event, and not practiced in daily life will have limited success. For these reasons, I truly do believe that ultra running can be a great metaphor for life and a conduit for contemplative learning.<br /><p></p><p>© 2005<br />-----------------<br /><a name="#comments"></a><br /><span style="color:#66ff99;">Click on the "Comments" link to read others' thoughts and add your input.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><br /></p><br /></span>dirty girls runhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652545666790094709noreply@blogger.com4