I admit, this is not a fully formed thought, but I want to put it out there as I know and love this community.
I have found there is something very strange about the brain. Maybe it is just my brain, but I suspect not. Here is my observation:
-
Early on in working out I would think, “I ran a mile yesterday, I will try to run a mile again today” I would get on the treadmill and run. Halfway through I would start to get tired and it would be a push to make it to a mile
-
The very next day I could think, “I will run two miles” and run one mile without even flinching. Approaching 2 miles I would start to feel weary and it would be a push. THE NEXT DAY.
-
I have been doing 6 miles on the Elliptical for two weeks consistently. Today for time reasons I knew I could only do 3. I was amazed and surprised to find that I found myself struggling at the 2 mile mark…
I conclude that I am working against my brain. When I set a goal my body adjusts to meet it. When I know today I will work out on the elliptical for 6 miles during the second 3 mile set about the halfway point I start feeling in. If I am only doing a 3 miles set at 1.5 I start feeling it.
I bring this up because I found the opposite true. If I had been running 3 miles consistently if I decided, “I am going to run 4 miles” I would blow by that 3 mile mark. It is like the only thing holding us back is our own expectations.
Thoughts?