Mind Games

Over the last two days, I have run a total of 20 laps of KNP (approximately 10K) in 35 minutes each approximately. I am hoping to run another 10K over the next two days before my last long run on Sunday.

What has all this got to do with mind games? Every runner probably talks to himself/herself - it's a way of prodding your body to do what you/your mind wants

Today, I had decided to do an easy 5 laps - I was bored and at 8:15 AM, there was no motivation at KNP :-). I warmed up looking at the last set of regulars complete their final rounds.

While I typically run with music booming loud in my ears, today I wound up my earphone cords and stowed the player - this in itself is a departure from my rituals .. I wanted to see if I could run without music so that if and when my MP3 player conks off, I can still go on without the beat to pace to.

I started out with a slow lap of 3:35, having tried to motivate a PYT to run (she gave up about 200 m later). My next lap was sort of the same timing. Mentally I was still targeting 5 laps. Lap 5 came around at 17:30; so my average time was still 3:30 per lap. Here is some of my mental conversation from Lap 5 to Lap 10:

Me: You know you can't just run 5 laps, that's just the entry fee to the track
Lazy Me: Granted, no issues... but one lap only, OK? 6 laps and we are done... no शेंडी OK?
Me: We'll see, let's go past lap 6

I was almost completing Lap 6.
Me: Wouldn't it be cool if you could run a sub 30 10 laps?
Lazy Me: No way that's happening man, 9 minutes left ... get out.
Me: OK, let's see what time it is (I switched to the clock - 8:53 AM). Why don't we run till 9:00 AM sharp and we'll end up where we do
Lazy Me: Only 7 minutes to go... yeah, I think we can do that...
Me: Let's a run a rocking lap - - sub 3?
Lazy Me: What will that achieve?
Me: कर के तो देख!
So I ran a sub 3 lap 8 (2:45 or so)
Me: You rock
Lazy Me: yeah yeah woteva, enough चमचागिरी

Another 5 minutes or so later, my watch chimed...
Lazy Me: It's 9 o'clock. We are done
Me: Think man, you are on lap 9.
Lazy Me: so?
Me: One more lap and it'll be 10 laps
Lazy Me: So?
Me: Wouldn't it be cool to run 10 laps today as well
Lazy Me: SO?
Me: Oh, come on, let's go for it
Lazy Me: no
Me: Just the one
Lazy Me: No
Me: Look there's an interesting person
Lazy Me: Where? Who?
Me: Look, you have already started Lap 10
Lazy Me: Let's stop
Me: There's that interesting person again.
Lazy Me: I am not falling for that one again.
Me: Look you are pacing well and maybe we'll do better than yesterday
Lazy Me: You know what........... we are almost at the end of the lap
Me: Hey superb, देखा, बातों बातों में मेरा स्टेशन कब आया पता ही नही चला
Lazy Me: चुप साले, फिल्मी डायलाग मारता है

Today 10 laps were done in 34:18. Yesterday's 10 laps were done in 34:45:39. Net net, I did do better.

मैं और मेरी तनहाई अक्सर ये बातें करते है
२:३० lap दौडे तो ऐसा होगा, sub 30 10K दौडे तो वैसा होगा
मैं और मेरी तनहाई अक्सर ये बातें करते है