#asics262 : Managing Expectations
It has been a while now since Training Day 2 and with that gap comes a sorry that I have not written about it here nor on my personal blog. I don’t think I will get around to it now but I will say that it was an excellent day following the disappointment of Training Day 1 (the injury day).
So one of the many good things that came out of TD2 was the meeting with Victor the Psychologist. In our discussion we chatted about managing expectation – it’s something I realised many of us should look at.
When I got through to the competition, after a few weeks running my confidence was quite high so my expectations were as follows
- Dream Expectation: 4:30 finish (or as close to)
- Satisfactory Expectation: 5 hours max to finish marathon
- Unstatisafcoty Expectation: Not finishing
Then came Training Day 1 and I left feeling fed up. Victor helped me revise those expectations and deal with them. This is what they are now:
- Dream Expectation: 5 hour max to finish marathon using walk/run
- Satisfactory Expectation: Finishing the marathon
- Unsatisfactory Expectation: Not finishing.
As you can see I have had to manage my expectations to avoid being disappointed. I’m okay with this.
Victor also gave me a sort of ‘cheat sheet’ for surviving the 5 hours. This was a brilliant set of hints and tips that I am sure will help. As it happens I never had a doubt that I would survive the 5 hours. I’m running in France!!! Maybe it was Llanelli (where I have seen and run before) it would be different.
I’ve been helped to realise that there will be other opportunities. There will be other chances to use the knowledge I have been given. I will fully run a marathon – maybe in October.
Happy running everyone.