"I was about five miles into my fourth 20-mile loop at last weekend's Javelina 100 Mile - with a full loop still to go after I finished this one - when I turned to my pacer, Cliff Pittman, and said, "It's weird, I am not really into this right now." Cliff, being the professional that he is, replied, "What do you mean? Are you feeling apathetic? Bored?""
"Telling Cliff how I was feeling was the first step. I knew from experience that if I kept my feelings inside, I would dwell on them, labor on them, and start feeling sorry for myself. By revealing my feelings to Cliff, I was allowing him into my world and giving him the opportunity to help. Cliff, an Iraq war veteran and a successful running and life coach, skillfully steered me back toward optimism,"
I hit a low point five miles into my fourth 20-mile loop during the Javelina 100 and told my pacer how I felt. Admitting the malaise prevented rumination and allowed the pacer to offer targeted support and questions. Past experience taught me that I had to work my way out of the funk rather than expect it to pass on its own. Later, telling a second pacer opened more support, and casual social interactions with other runners provided distraction, conversation, and renewed energy, helping restore my usual optimism and focus.
Read at iRunFar
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