Mind Over Body

About a week ago I posted about my first 2 mile run and I mentioned a "weird meditation thing" that I do. I'm sure you've all been totally dying for me to go into detail, right? (If not, you could probably stop reading now and go on with your day.)

I believe in mind over matter, I believe we can make things happen by imagining them, I believe we can heal our bodies with our minds. (I promise this is not the new Scientology, I also believe in painkillers and the importance of medical professionals.) Remember on Lost, when Locke was teaching Walt to throw knives, he said close your eyes and see it happen first? It worked! I'm sure you've heard of this method in other scenarios too, athletes visualizing the race - match - shot - whatever, beforehand. You have to imagine something, show your mind how it will happen, and your chances of success skyrocket. (Conversely, if you imagine yourself failing, you are more likely to do so.) I believe this theory can apply to our health as well. If you catch a cold and just wallow in your sickness, thinking all day about how miserable you are, you will feel sick longer than someone who focuses on being and feeling well again. You could find all kinds of articles on the internet about people being cured of all kinds of diseases by hypnosis and other similar treatments.

So what, right? How does this help me get through a morning run? I don't actually imagine the whole run before setting out, who has time for that. No, I use the power of my mind to get rid of aches and pains and muscle cramps while I'm running. Most commonly I use this technique for stitches in my side and it works like gangbusters! I imagine the pain as a cluster of dark matter (not unlike the Smoke Monster) in my side. I visualize each breath I take flowing to that dark matter, surrounding it and taking a little bit away on the exhale, over and over until the pain is gone. It sounds kind of nutty when I type it out like this, but I swear to you it works. I have done this with knee pain and sore calfs, any minor injury that I might otherwise walk off.

In case you need help visualizing it next time you get a stitch in your side!

Try it, let me know what you think! Do you have any unusual tricks for pushing through the pain or boredom of a long run? Do you believe in brain power too? Do you think I'm a total nut? (It's ok, I may be...)

P.S. Today was Week 8 Day 1, 28 minute run and it felt great!