Jedi Mind Tricks

Last weekend I volunteered at the Broken Arrow Sky Race up in Squaw Valley, California. If you have ever seen a sky race you know they are a beast of a race. A race for the brave hearted. A race for those who like Type 2 fun. I have been dreaming of running this race for a year now, but the high snow pack this year made me nervous to sign up. So I decided to volunteer and watch the amazing and brave sky runners race up those steep mountains and back down again. My mind was blown. These runners were Zen Masters of the Mind. They were Jedi Masters! Their strength flowed from their Force!! They completed that incredible course! I wondered what their Jedi Mind Tricks were to overcome their fears and pain to run 50 kilometers with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain along narrow ridge lines. Runners must be Jedi Masters, right? The Jedi Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded, right? And these runners obviously did not have weak minds. What was their secret? What went through their minds as they ran along that incredible course?

Then someone asked me what I think about when I’m running 50 kilometers. My first response was, I think about how beautiful the scenery is and how lucky I am to run on the trails that I go to. I play it off like no big deal. I am a nature lover, so most people understand that I love the views along the trail. As I thought back to myself about how I responded I realized its more than just the views that I think about. Don’t get me wrong, I really, really, really do run around with a smile on my face thinking, “look how beautiful that tree is!!” The beauty of nature really inspires me. But my inspiration goes beyond looking at that tree. It is from being present. Looking at that tree in that very moment. The sound it’s leaves make as it blows in the wind. That presence is where my mental game kicks in. I don’t worry about the 28 miles I still need to run. I look at the trail that is under my feet in that moment. I feel the feels that my muscles are feeling at that very moment. With each step, and each moment I am present. I am real. I am grateful for my bodies ability to move me along that trail. I am grateful for my lungs ability to efficiently move vital air into my cells. I am grateful for my privilege to have the time to get outside and run.

I find that presence. I find that moment. I find that gratitude. When it gets tough, I try to recenter and find it again. When my lungs burn, I try to recenter and find it again. When my mind says no, I try to recenter and find it again. Like a Jedi, my center is my Force. It has taken me years of practice to recenter and find that presence and gratitude. I am still not a Zen Master of the Mind. Who is? I sometimes have bad days. I am always trying to learn new Jedi Mind Tricks to help me fly down the trail. Gratitude, presence, and the ability to find it when I’ve lost it are my Jedi Mind Tricks. As the Jedi Mind Master Yoda says, “always pass on what you have learned.”

Happy Running to all you Jedi Masters!