What comes next? No one knows and we kind of like it.
2020 is certainly a unique year. It’s the year we’ve all had to adjust our goal posts and adapt due to the global pandemic. With no races in the coming weeks or months, it’s also the year with an uncertain future for athletes. Therefore, whether we like it or not, we are going to have to embrace the unknown.
In this blog post we are going to dive into how we can master the art of not knowing and the ways in which we will all have to move out of lockdown and embrace a new version of the world.
The global pandemic
All of us, wherever we are in the world have been impacted by COVID-19.
To start with, it’s an incredible thing to fathom. All of us, when we meet face to face again will have a tale of how this pandemic has impacted us; talks of the good, the bad and the ugly.
The good news is that after months of isolation we can now gradually start to move around more freely. Therefore, now is the right time to address what it’s going to be like for athletes and how to continue preparing for unknown elements.
Fear of an uncertain future
The fear some of us are facing is real.
However, this fear can stop us from doing great things, and it can prevent us from letting go of things that are hurting us, things that we do not need.
How to let go of fear about the future
- Acknowledge that it is totally understandable why you are fearful
There are many questions facing us all in the Long Run Collective;
What should I train for?
When will I be able to safely go swimming in my leisure centre pool again?
When will I be able to train and go to races with my friends again?
We do not know all the answers to these questions right now but what we do know is that this is exciting. Yes, we can hear you yelling – ‘Give me some real updates and some good news?!!!’ But seriously, how often have we been forced to pause (as adults) and consider not having any answers?
Why is not knowing so scary? Well, let us frame it like this: it isn’t the “not knowing” that is the problem but rather the possibility that what does happen will be painful, upsetting or bring an imagined hardship. One athlete said they feared the future as they don’t know how they will return to their previous training routine and feel race fit again.
This imagined difficulty is not physical pain (most of the time we are not fearing physical injury) – it’s the pain of change. We are creatures of habit, especially as athletes who are motivated and driven daily to train towards our racing goals. We are comfortable in our created cocoons — where routines, possessions, people, and places that we know are familiar and safe. Losing this comforting environment and going into a time where we’re vulnerable is scary and it is OK to be fearful. If we can all acknowledge that we don’t want things to be different, that actually we are not huge fans of change – we are ready to take the next steps.
Face the Fear
We must face this fear like we would a hard training session, or a race: with confidence & optimism that we will do our best. We will embrace this change and become good at it. If we can train our bodies to physically embrace changes like they appear in many race situations, then we can use this current situation to train our minds to do the same and become more resilient. We can use this opportunity to become better at dealing with new things, as they come, no matter how different. Change itself then becomes comfortable.
Here are some ways to embrace the unknown and become a master of change
- Consider when you consume news. Instead of starting and ending your day by watching, listening to or reading news try doing something that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Try something that is calming such as reading, chatting, writing in a diary, listening to music, doing yoga, enjoying a soothing warm drink, or simply just lying in bed and stretching as you wake up and get ready for the day ahead.
- Experience the thrill in the unknown. When something new happens or when you don’t know what is going to happen, see it as an exciting, creative opportunity rather than an upset. Not knowing when the next marathon or triathlon is going to take place means that we are free, the possibilities are limitless. At Long Run Collective we have been creating new training routes for our athletes to explore new paths, setting up group virtual events to unite us and using this time to work on creating new habits with our athletes such as home nutrition and mobility routines.
- Create a plan for handling change. This is an opportunity to develop a contingency plan that you can ‘go-to’ when things change, so that no matter what happens you have options available to help. At Long Run Collective we are working closely as coaches with our athletes to put strategies in place. Having a coach, family or friends you can fall back on for guidance is a great way to share ideas. What do you want your future to look like? Start researching potential races for the future, create a personal goal and decide on areas of fitness you can develop in this unique time.
Overall, developing and training your mind to be flexible is perhaps one of the most important things you can do for yourself. When the unknown future throws something unexpected your way, you begin to handle things without fear, without anguish, without anger. You respond instead of reacting, with a balanced and calm approach knowing that you have prepared to the best of your ability.
The Future
Sadly we don’t know when we’ll all be standing on start lines again but we do know that we are all in this together; you are going to have a fantastic summer ahead with renewed energy and a stronger mindset having mastered the art of the unknown. You will be fit and ready to chase down those finish lines when they finally arrive and celebrate like never before.