#152 - The Hyperfocused Runner: Adopt this 7-Step Workout Strategy
Do you wish you were more disciplined with your running practice? The gap between where you are now and where you want to be is not that tough to close. Just make up your mind, adopt the right plan, and take seven small steps everyday to get there. With the right strategy, you can go from being an on-again-off-again runner to becoming the hyperfocused runner that you idolize!
The Hyperfocused Runner
Who do you think of when you hear the term “hyperfocus”? Maybe it strikes a nerve when you think of the person at the gym that you can never keep up with, or someone who beat you in a race. You may think of a pro athlete who practices for hours each day. Or you think of an accomplished business person who’s always making moves. If you’re like most of us, you probably categorize people around you as “high productivity” or “low productivity” depending on how you see them spend their time and energy. Consider your coworkers: some have hyperfocus and stamina and a drive to succeed, but you can pick out one or two who are prone to distraction, and typically waste their time milling around until it’s time to go home.
You may assume the highly productive people are “Type A people” who possess special traits which enable them to produce better quality work. However, it’s becoming more and more clear how versatile human beings really are. Your success is not determined by your personality or some inherent set of traits. Everybody and anybody “has what it takes.”
So what is hyperfocus and how does it apply to running? According to this article we found in a psychological research journal, “‘Hyperfocus’ is a phenomenon that reflects one’s complete absorption in a task, to a point where a person appears to completely ignore or ‘tune out’ everything else.”
““Attention without intention is wasted energy.””
How to Approach Something with Hyperfocus
Chris Bailey’s book, Hyperfocus, is not specific to running or exercise. He explains that hyperfocus is attainable for anyone who wants to achieve a specific goal. He bases his methods on neuroscientific research which reveals that our brains have two modes. We need to intentionally balance these two modes in order to give our full attention to the task at hand or to the experience that’s in front of us. A hyperfocused approach will help you to produce higher quality work and it will also bring more fulfilling experiences in your personal life, because you’ll learn to be fully present.
We can use a hyperfocused approach with whatever we choose to do, including running. The hyperfocused runner doesn’t need to listen to music or watch TV. The hyperfocused runner avoids distractions and intentionally plans ahead, prepares, and focuses on the practice of running. The goal is not to make running more bearable. The goal is to truly love what you’re doing and enjoy the process!
Seven Steps to Becoming the Hyperfocused Runner
There are the seven steps that Coach Tadris Parker recommends to a runner who wants to become hyperfocused in their practice. This strategy is not complicated or hard, but it requires you to plan ahead and follow through on a regular basis. Intentionally make space in your schedule and develop a system for accountability. After just two months of developing these healthy running habits, you will find that being a hyperfocused runner has become second nature to you.
Here is Coach Tadris Parker’s seven-step strategy to becoming a hyperfocused runner:
Plan your runs the night before on calendar
Put phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’
Run without earbuds
Focus on your form
Focus on your breaths
Enjoy being present and observe your surroundings
Establish a plan for regular accountability
Get Hyperfocused Today
You do have what it takes! It’s time to prove it. Set an alarm on your phone, write down your run times/days on your calendar, and appoint a reliable person to check in before and after your runs for the first two months. Adopt the strategy to become a hyperfocused runner and you will never look back. You can apply the same method to your work, your home life, or your hobbies. Make the most of your time and talents and learn to really live in the moment. This is your chance to keep calm and run to the best, most attentive, most appreciative you and learn to really fall in love with your running practice.
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