In my relatively short time as a runner, I have stumbled upon some undeniable truths that recur over and over. Perhaps one of the most significant is that running is at least as much mental as physical. What I mean by that is that the mind has an awesome power when it comes to determining the limits of our physical abilities. That is not to say that physical condition is not important. It is extremely important. Someone who is out of shape cannot run a marathon no matter what their mind tells them. By the same token, someone in good physical shape may be similarly handicapped if their mind tells them that the marathon is beyond their capacity.
In my case, when I signed up for my first half marathon, my mind told me that I was crazy and that there was no way I could complete such a race. And yet, in the 5 months that followed, I trained and devoted myself to that goal. By the time of the half, my mind had come around and I knew I could finish the race. With my mind on board, I knew that nothing could stop me. In short, I was inspired.
I recently stumbled across a film that touches on the intangible power of inspiration and the power of the mind to drive the body. The movie is "Spirit of the Marathon" and just watching the movie trailer will choke you up. You can find it here:
http://www.marathonmovie.com/pages_film/film_trailer.html
After you watch this movie, you'll be ready to sign up for a marathon and test the power of your mind to drive your body.
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