Self Discipline 2

Hello! It's been two years since my last post. As I mentioned before, I got married and I'm very happy with my spouse. Debts have been paid off (well, sort of, you know how it is - can't do without adding a few new ones). The coronavirus is finally over and at the beginning of 2023, I started itching to get into racing. As you know, here's what you need to start racing:

• Regular training.
• Willpower.
• Self-discipline.

I started by joining my awesome running group, Runarchy's "sacred" Tuesday sessions, and then some Sunday morning runs with friends from the group. My first goal was the Dağyenice Ultra race in Bursa, and there was plenty of time until the race date. I thought, "I can prepare with this schedule," and it wasn't going too bad, although I missed quite a few training sessions. I completed the 30 km Dağyenice Ultra in just under 5 hours. Then came the Uludağ Ultra, which took me 6 hours due to cramps hitting my leg three times; a clear sign I wasn't well-prepared :)

During my preparation, I had everything I mentioned in my previous post: a goal, a group of friends, competition, motivation… But still, I couldn't fully maintain self-discipline; despite loving it so much and really wanting to, I missed training sessions. So why didn't it work out? Feel free to share any reasons you think I might have missed from my last post, and let's discuss them.

I immediately blamed the goals; "You stayed too small," I said. "My subconscious didn't take it seriously," I added. And remember, both races were over 30 km, no joke. Both muddy and terribly steep. Yet, I couldn't convince my inner voices and set my sights on the Cappadocia Ultra, the 63K. It was August, three months until the race. As I was wondering whether it was feasible, I realized I needed a solid training program. I was ready to start running early in the morning or be the first to open the gym with the coaches, but how should I train to be ready for 63 km in three months?

Suddenly, I realized that having a goal alone isn't enough for self-discipline; the path to the goal is also crucial. Here, Survivor 2023 runner-up Özgür Tetik came to mind. He has run in dozens of Ultratrail races and has coached numerous students in these races. I knew him from the running world long before he appeared on TV screens. I got in touch with him, and bless him, he prepared a killer training program for me within a few days.

I followed my training program to the letter, except for three weeks when I was dealing with a kidney stone. It was spot on; if anything, it was more than enough. Days chased days, workouts chased workouts. Then race day arrived. I used a bit of an old shoe during the race and it hit my ankle. I was doing great up to Göreme (36 km) but then the ankle pain started and I could only walk. Still, I crossed the finish line in Cappadocia once more, finishing the race in 10 hours; I was happy but I'll leave the race talk here because that's not what this post is about.

How do we maintain self-discipline that we can continue for weeks, or even months?

Stay Laser-Focused on the Goal

I'm talking about never letting your goal slip from your mind, always prioritizing it. If you say, "There's no time," then cut back on other things that steal your time, like social media. Hold onto your goal as if your life depends on it. Say "no" to anything and anyone that could distract you. Lock onto it like a guided missile. It should be quietly sitting in the corner, occasionally touching your conscience as lightly as a cat paws at a ball of yarn.

Set Rewards

Write down your goal and the rewards you will give yourself or achieve once you reach it, using colorful pens on beautiful paper, and hang it somewhere you can always see it. These will constantly remind you of your goal and motivate you. Personally, I keep the medals I earn from 63 km races on my work desk as a motivational element.

Approximately Plan Your Path

I'm not talking about the study schedule we used to make in high school (I say high school because that's the last time I did it.) where we planned to solve a certain number of problems at a certain time and then take a 15-minute break. Such schedules might work for students, but they can also distance us from discipline and have the opposite effect. While thinking about the answer to the question, "How can I achieve self-discipline?" - realizing that the goal alone is not enough - one of the elements I felt necessary was the path to it. For example, in my case, this path required a training program.

Do you want to exercise? You can go to the gym before work in the morning or during lunch break. There are many exercises you can do at home, even with just a resistance band. During the pandemic, when gyms were closed and athletes didn't want to lose shape, they used resistance bands. Don't read but want to start? Begin with a thin book that you are most curious about and love at a time that suits you, just 10 minutes a day, but no matter what, don't skip it, don't give it up. Set alarms, reminders for yourself, and when the alarm goes off, whatever you're doing at that moment, drop it and run to your goal.

I'll end this post with a precious lesson I learned from my mother, just like the last one:

Don't be lazy,

Don't procrastinate,

Don't give up.