Without knowing you, I know one thing you have a story to tell. A runners’ tale so to speak. And with every opportunity to run, you are writing another chapter. Question is how or what is the tone of those stories? And why does it matter why make a blog about it?
Yes Heiko is my name, and running is my corny game I know. Just can’t help myself.
Hey in case you missed last week’s show, or you didn’t readers because, well you maybe didn’t like the title give it a readers,
It really is the blog where the sole aim and purpose is to deliver high quality content. Content to make you think about yourself about your running.
In case you are looking for boring ramblings, or me-me-me stories. Sorry. Not here. Look, it’s true that I mind those self-glorifying blogs, that’s why I started. it is just that this show is different, it contains a certain reality check.
And hey this show looks like we are all different. Different cultures, different personalities, so yes it might be this doesn’t resonate with you. Maybe you feel like you need different content, that’s fine. But if and when you are ready for mental growth, this is the place to be.
Let’s dive in shall we.
The few minutes of my life I waste on social media I am really shocked at what I see.
Before you think I am being too critical. Wait, hold your breath.
Just think back to two great books you have read. Got them. For me it’s The Secret by Richard Bandler and Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman. I can more or less summarize the quintessence of the main points that resonated with me. Most probably if we were friends or we would work together in a coaching context, I would recommend the book to you.
But with the time spent on social media hardly ever happens. Why is that? Why is it that books read.. they tend to stick to our mind (if they are well written of course) but the hours we spend on social media, we have hardly anything to show for. Actually nothing. Well hang on.. if I am really honest there are a couple of funny moments I recall from Peter Griffin but actually a waste of time. So even if it is running related and has no added value.
Because the content doesn’t need to be acted upon. There usually is not enough depth or subject matter to act upon.
Because apparently, we all only have the attention span of a goldfish. Advertisers are stating that unless we as salespeople, don’t Add value, offer a clear solution that fits all within the first 15 seconds that’s it. Game over.
Please don’t believe that. We don’t have a Goldfish attention span. It’s rather that there is so much money pumped into advertising that the media companies need to summarize their message in an instant, so that in case you are not really interested, you have the next ad, and the next, and the next one.
Are your feet aching after a run? Pain, tingling sensation? Never suffer from throbbing feet again, over 1000 runners’ have tested our product.
First off it’s perfectly fine to have aching feet after a tough run, is it not? No, I am not talking about excruciating pain, just it is normal to feel the feet have put in an extra effort. I feel it especially if I do my morning run up a hill and back down on loose gravel.
But what happens is, the ad is deep, in the crevices of your subconscious brain. Deep down.. . whether you like it or not. There is no way to avoid it. There is nothing that can be unheard. Let me share something personal with you:
For years we didn’t have a TV at home. Whilst the kids were growing up.. do you know this song no don’t worry I won’t sing it, just tell you the lyrics
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob square pants, Absorbent and yellow and porous is the SpongeBob.
Did you think I learnt those lyrics off by hard? Didn’t even watch it but when visiting friends, they would keep the TV on, and this show would play in the background whilst the adults in the room next door were talking but still the melody, the lyrics and this must be 15 years ago are present in my memory. But what video’s or jokes I saw on Instagram or YouTube can’t tell you what they were about. Nor that quick ad about some new product I need. Cannot share it with you even if you would pay me absolutely crazy if you think about it.
That’s not all.. it is not just crazy. It is extremely dangerous. Readers, one of the main reasons for starting this blog was to share content that in my opinion is just as vital as strength training programs, running techniques, nutritional advice. Feeding your brain so to speak. I mean look around. What do you find about how to train your brain? Hardly anything that is so specific, but ask most runners. Whether beginners or advanced. They will most probably agree that the battle in your mind is decisive whether you will be able to use all your potential. Whether you go for a run or not. Whether you train hills or do a lazy bone flat run it’s decided upstairs.
A lot of blogs talk about races, they review gear, which YES can be informative but what I noticed so often is that there is a focus on inviting top seed runners or let’s call them a-lot-of-medal-haver’s. OK, medal collectors. You know what I mean, that photo of a runner with a whole wall of medals behind him. And the post “just love running”
Let me say, if it is a pro runner. Well done, definitely the biggest respect. Dean Karnasas with all his medals, a really cool photo. An everyday runner with the same amount of medals, different story. Why?
What is the message: look at me and my medals, show you yours show you mine?
Well because with all this short attention span message sending, the effect it has on runners’ is often “I am not good enough”. I only have one medal. I will never have so many. The trap of comparison. Make no mistakes, it happens to the best of us. Actually, I dedicated a video to this topic of contentment. Check it out, it is worth a watch, just enter advanced endurance on YouTube and you will find it.
For those of you that this resonates with, you tried to run your best, but somehow you gave up because it just felt like you will never reach or overcome some or other invisible hurdle and give your best another shot. Try again to become the best runner you can be. Don’t be fooled by those blogs, or videos which are more self-promotion and creating pictures in your head which are not necessarily true.
Use the same tactic that social media does ok, tactic a word you don’t identify with? Use a step by step procedure, or a process. Let me explain.
If you have ever bought a new car, or went shopping for a special dress, a snazzy suit or a new Kitchen just think back what did the salesperson do? Unless he or she was completely incompetent they kept you interested, they kept you INSIDE the store. They know that if you leave. You will start to rationalize. You will start to reflect. You will start to be influenced by others and the chances are you will lose that emotional attachment as when you were imagining how this tabletop fits inside your house, or how the dress will go with those new shoes.
Now this thought pattern guesses what; it will be interrupted. Then once you collect your thoughts you will fill it with a more rational approach but slowly let me go through that again.
Has it not happened to you that you really wanted something? Maybe THAT thing that you couldn’t really afford, or you know you shouldn’t, but you did? And then, when you reached home, you suddenly looked at it, wore it, sat in it, and realized: nope, I don’t like it, I don’t need it. Ups maybe you married IT. LOL Joke, just kidding.
That happens because, well the item, not the married scenario, because you are no longer full of emotions. Hey you know this, you can be the best salesperson to yourself if you want something.
You can be alone and see something on the internet that 5 minutes ago you never realized existed, and now you need it, want it, need to have it, EXPRESS delivery OFF COURSE !
And you spent your money on an item that won’t make you a second faster. Or invest your time in reading to someone else’s success story and how he got the tattoo rather than building your own running story. Liked someone’s medal post, even though it created made you realize you never will never have so many yourself
readers, this is the crux of the whole story, this is the last page of the book. Have you ever done that? Whilst reading an extremely compelling book? Full of intrigue and suspense? Then: Skip to the last page of a book? I did, when I was a teenager, so often I couldn’t bear it anymore. OK so here we go skipping to the last page.
Build your running story and construct it well. Make it one that is truly yours. That is great to tell yourself. One that you will be proud to tell your kids someday.
In a few weeks, months hey even in a few years, the next moment in time you have a decision to make whether you run or not. Whether you run for the sake of getting the run in, or whether you are on a mission to become the best runner you can be.
It is something that you will realize in the future. Do you really want to be that person standing at the watercooler, and have some pity story about lack of time, and too demanding a job and THAT is your run history? Or lack of it. That is your line of justification? When your children one day reach that age where they are inquisitive. Is that where you will have your story about, priorities, and some dodgy comments and skipping over the timeline of events? Or would you rather be able to tell a great story. A story of how you overcame issues. How you found a way to make running a priority. An inspiring story where they are reading carefully, with admiration and you sense they are proud of you as a parent.
Where at the next (whatever your water cooler moment is) you can look back and reflect on a story that is filled with honesty and experiences that makes it a pleasure to readers too.
And no, those stories don’t need to involve an ultra-marathon, a tattoo, a life or death moment nor does it mean you need to go vegan, save a whale and a rainforest. Ok, I am being sarcastic. Scratch the whale and rainforest but you know what I mean, don’t you? Don’t be fooled by all those blog YouTube videos, blogs that make this run out to be about someone else. From alcohol to crossing the Sahara desert. Or from 200 Kg to running a marathon dressed as a clown.
That’s not your story. There is no win in comparison. There is just defeat. Self-destruct mode. Lowering your self-confidence rather than building and strengthening it.
What is the solution? Is there hope? Of course there is.
Build your own story. Stop focusing on time wasters. Stop being mesmerized by powerful ads, by clothes, shoes or sunglasses that you need in order to become the great runner you are made to be.
Don’t get caught by an emotion generating storyline that is not yours. Don’t think you will get those secret tips from a pro runner, or a pro running ad with the lure of incredible distance.. especially if you struggled to get out for a 3 mile run this morning.
Focus on what is right for you. Build your run story. So that when you look back and you recall the moments where you had a choice you didn’t make excuses. You made your run a priority. You went. You did it. You did what you could with the time and space you had.
Yup, clever isn’t it? Make 365 days run, one whole year of running Why who or what would you want to do that? And if your first thought is “I couldn’t do that” then definitely you should get the book. The link to the video you know what.. just go to youtube, enter “heiko stribl” and concentrate or you will get sidetracked and end up somewhere you don’t want to be.
If you feel you could use some brain training, which will ensure that your story is a proud one, the check-out www.heikostribl.com , a comprehensive online course showing you step by step how you train your brain to get that running edge you secretly want. I know you do. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us 1 Corinthians.
Hey, I sincerely hope you enjoyed today’s blog. If you did, please do share it with someone who might just need readers to this type of content.
My name is Heiko, God bless you and remember, take it easy.
