Photo credit: Natalia Rivas Foster
Early during the pandemic, my husband and I started getting into a new show called “The Chosen”. It is the first-ever multi-season show of Jesus’ ministry on earth, beautifully bringing to life the heart of Christ in familiar Bible stories.
One theme the show captures is the “upside-down” nature of the kingdom Jesus came to introduce — one that totally subverted cultural expectations and understanding. The Jews assumed the Messiah to be a militaristic leader seeking right religious conduct, but Jesus’ manner and message was just the opposite. At one point, Jesus calls a tax collector — a group of people deeply despised by the Jews for trading their loyalty to the Roman Empire — to follow him. When Peter objects to welcoming such a traitor, implying that he’d crossed a moral line, Jesus replies: “Get used to different.”
He came to do what God had promised for centuries — a “new thing” (Isaiah 43:19) — both in the world, and in our lives.
As I reflect over the past season, the same theme emerges. The path to success has looked vastly different compared to the other highpoints of my career. Early on, I had a rigid, “more is better” mentality toward all-things-training, and “less is better” toward everything else. It might work for some, but for me — though the short-term fitness benefits were real — in the long-term, I was left injured and wanting a more integrated lifestyle.
Over the last three years, God has been revealing my need to release control of the process. To surrender my assumptions of what it takes to be successful, and let Him lead. To believe, if I would only trust Him completely, He will do “far more abundantly than I could ask or imagine, according to his power working within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
But what does “get used to different” look like, practically? That’s what I want to share with you. I’ve created a list in categories — physical, psychological/emotional, and spiritual — because as athletes we often forsake the second two, and they are just as impactful to performance. Please consider this as simply what’s working for me, not a prescription for all. What matters is the principle of integration (body, mind and spirit), not necessarily the specifics.
My training group: Mountain South Elite!
PHYSICAL
Finding peace and confidence in a new training system.
This was my third year being coached by Chris Layne, whose system is focused on quality over quantity. We train in 4-week cycles — 3 weeks “normal volume”, one week at 60-70 percent volume. I cross-train most of my doubles, my long run never exceeds 15 miles, and with the exception of some longer ones in the fall, my workouts range between 4 and 6 miles of work depending on time of season (less during recovery weeks). The first year I struggled to buy in, constantly asking to do more. But I’m learning healthy, consistent weeks trump the start-stop I experienced with higher running volume.
Listening to my body
Whereas in previous years I’d be unwilling to adjust training due to a niggle or general fatigue, I’m finding it’s absolutely necessary. This means cutting a run slightly short when needed, cross training doubles (recovery not only for your legs, but also easier to keep your heart rate lower), and communicating with Coach when I’ve been feeling something for 3-5 days.
No missed periods
After a 5-year stint of amenorrhea from 2011 to 2016, I've had a normal period, but almost every year since, I’d miss one or two due to stress or altitude (higher energy burn at 7,000ft… sometimes did not compensate with enough calories). Since January 2020 I haven’t missed a single period, and trained at altitude for four separate month-long camps since then. Proper caloric intake has helped keep my body durable.
Believing in the “extra stuff”
I’ve been doing strength training and core my whole professional career, but it wasn’t until my injury cycle that I actually began to understand the value. In addition to the usual 2x/week strength training and 3x/week core, this year I also committed to a weekly rotation of thoracic mobility, foot mobility, k-bands, pelvic floor exercises, and one recovery modality daily (epsom salt, ice bath, Firefly, Normatec, or massage). I’ve also taken daily Xendurance supplements since Fall 2019 and seen more resilience (and a better response) to the training.
PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL
Guided imagery
Starting before Trials, my husband Jacob (a clinical sport psychologist) would guide me through a visualization of every race. I’d close my eyes, and he’d have me imagine the moments before the race… all the senses. Then he’d set a timer for the 5k time I wanted to hit and I would run the race in my mind, lap by lap. We did it 2-3 times per race depending on how many race scenarios I wanted to anticipate. I didn’t really enjoy simulating all the jitters before race day, but there’s robust research supporting imagery (Morris, Spittle, & Watt, 2005) and I thought it helped in the end!
Mindfulness & deep breathing
I always get nervous before races, but this year I wanted to be more intentional in managing it. Mindfulness, according to Jacob, is “awareness + attention” and, coupled with diaphragmatic breathing, can help athletes navigate unwanted thoughts (Bernier, et. al 2009). This was a tool I used often in moments of anxiety before races — any time I started thinking about the race in the days leading up, at the track before warming up — really any moment I felt nervous before race time.
Goal-setting
This might seem basic, but I’d never actually written out and regularly revisited my goals for the season. The empirical evidence for goal-setting is robust (Gould, 2015), and one of the principal findings Jacob has shared with me is that goals are more likely achievable if they’re specific . I wrote out a detailed A-goal, B-goal, and three process goals for the season, and posted them over my desk. They were hung right near my Elliptigo, so I re-read them a few times per week while doubling. I also shared them with my coach and husband for accountability.
Relationships
This has always been a value of mine, but I still tend to want to isolate during times of heavy training, dealing with an injury, or before big races. Though I’m technically an introvert, I’ve learned I’m happiest and most successful when I stay connected to people, even and especially when I feel vulnerable in some way. When I strained my hamstring right before Trials, time spent with our church small group or over dinner with a friend refilled my soul and readied me to pour out again.
We love our small group!
SPIRITUAL
Sing praises
Singing is a practice that always re-routes my heart when I’m feeling any negative emotion. I usually have to will myself to do it, but by the end of the song I’m crying good, cathartic tears. It shifts my eyes from my circumstances to God and His character. My go-to’s are anything Hillsong (“Awake” is all-time favorite album), Maverick City Music, hymns… whatever “tune[s] my heart to sing Thy grace.”
Fasting
Fasting is a spiritual discipline used all throughout the Scriptures, and one that Jesus assumes His followers participate in regularly (Matt 6:16-18). Denying a physical need helps us grow a deeper spiritual need for God. It doesn’t need to be exclusively from food (as an athlete, not always the best idea :), as long as it’s something in which you regularly find comfort. Most of the fasts I’ve done (really, only a handful in my life) have been from media & audio content (I listen to music and podcasts daily). This season there were two instances in which I was distressed about something specifically related to my career, and felt compelled to commit to a one-day fast. The point is not to hear an audible word from God... just to be desperately focused in prayer and dependence on Him. It makes room for us to discern the Holy Spirit more clearly. Each time, I emerged strengthened and encouraged.
Confessional community
In addition to relationships generally, I’ve learned I need intentional communities in which I allow myself to be fully known and fully loved. This means confessing my shortcomings and struggles within safe, trusted relationships. One of the functions of the Church is to “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2), and to “confess [our] sins to one another and pray for one another, that [we] may be healed” (James 5:16). It is not natural for me to share my deepest heart-struggles — that which brings me shame. But as I’ve stepped into these waters, lies I’ve long-believed about myself have been “outed” and replaced with truth, reshaping my beliefs about God and how he sees me. This kind of spiritual restoration is incredibly powerful, and can’t but enhance every aspect of my life (for much more on this topic, see Soul of Shame, by Curt Thompson).
In summary, there is no replacement for hard work. But as I’ve started to embrace ideas and practices vastly different from those early in my career, I’ve found more wholeness, freedom, and success. It comes slowly, it’s never how or when I expect… but all the waiting and unknowing is worth it.
References
Bernier, M., Thienot, E., Codron, R., & Fournier, J. (2009). Mindfulness and acceptance approaches in sport performance. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology. 4, 320-333.
Gould, D. (2015). Goal setting for peak performance. S. Jaegar (Ed.). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance (IV). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Morris, T., Spittle, M., & Watt, A. P. (2005). Imagery in Sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.