My random wisdom xx
Is Practicing the Art of Personal Pacing a non-confirmative Act in 2024?
The act of maintaining a steady pace is a delicate process that requires skill practice and patience, from my personal experience the only way to learn such a highly prized skill is via pain , suffering and many many fuck ups …
My first lesson in pacing was interestingly enough initiated through one of my coaches when I was in the depths of my international kettlebell sport career . When you’re in your 20s and early 30s it’s amazing how far you can push the limit until you drop from the gym or night out heat night club, your options/energy and carefree mindset are endless. Inevitably as the laws of nature will have it “what goes up must also come down” again very relevant in the above locations and situations. The symptoms of bodily exhaustion or coming down can remind even the most eager of whippersnappers of their limited cell regeneration capacity and mortality reminding us just how delicate we truly are, symptoms ranging from psychological and physical injury of ego, sense of self along with a number of joints such as knee, ankle and even your little toe as I found out on my 21st birthday.
After such injuries occur the inevitable depression phase or curative crisis recovery phase begins with self reflection , healing , regret , anger , the music has stopped , you may need to see a doctor for a number of reasons and it’s highly likely your broke, lost and confused ,this my dear friends is when all the magic happens, when you feel like absolute shit !!
From the humble come down to the international platform I have learnt this lesson over and over again but one moment is worth documenting. My coach flew to Australia from Russia to coach me ready for the WKSF world championships where I would represent Australia alone in Italy, and I can tell you I have had some scary hangovers and learnt lessons in my life, but nothing even comes close to being coached by an ex-military Russian coach for international worlds.
It’s easy to mindlessly work and push when you’re fit and strong , it’s easy to take your skill set for granted when you have youth and ego on your side , in reflection it’s neither smart nor well calculating in any aspect of life . it’s lazy and it will bite you on the ass one day.
So as i very quickly came to realize is the best way to teach is to let them suffer and fail , any good coach knows this and this is why many are not elite athletes living free range amongst us , its soul destroying work being beaten , given tasks that are beyond one’s limit .A coach does this with the intention to watch you suffer , fail and question yourself constantly .. its psychological warfare, then just before you feel like telling everyone to Get FKD .. The frustratingly simple art of pacing is introduced.
And all of a sudden everything slows down ….
Now you think going until you drop is hard , wait till you have to stand still and slow down , listen to your body and use your brain .. welcome to the real task , your whole life you have been told to work harder , produce more volume , make more gains , save more spend more the list is endless our whole society is geared towards WANTING MORE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE…
My coach would stand in front of me with a clock , with a stern look on his face ( scary Russian vibe ) I would hold my double 20 kg bells still , as he strictly instructed I would invest as little energy as possible on anything else but maintaining a strong stance and a focus on the clock , my face maintained a blank stare much like when one is daydreaming in a cue in the bank or Centrelink .. My only task was to be maintaining pace, it was slow and meticulously calculated. Sounds easy, well it’s bloody not. We won those worlds, and it was to be my last.
Now nearing 40 ,with spinal cord damage, a part time walking aid , 10 invasive surgeries in 5 years , multiple chronic illnesses and a body that might look ok from the outside , from the inside things are a very different story. Some days I wake up and feel like I’ve had 4 children attacking my body in a game of operation but non the less I rise each morning ready to attack my day with the same passion I do as the last . The reason I won that day is because I maintain my personal pace , i know that my pace is interchangeable , i know my pace is inline with my goals.
“Serving kids ham and cheese toasties can be just as reading as receiving gold medals
I went from being an elite athlete to lying in hospital beds, I went from being a gym owner to working in my daughter’s school canteen making cheese & ham toasties. The dualism had an acute sobering effect and in reflection a good dose of humility. What i always had to work with was my idea of pace and knowledge that my only task was to maintain a strong but now compassionate and open stance in life , these attributes being the most powerful and instrumental in allowing me to navigate any situation I found myself in ( poor , sore and a little lost ) This stance allowed me to stop the internal mind games and attachment to what once was , has passed.
Then the moments of clarity that would fill my heart with just as much joy as I would get from the smiling children I would happily hand icy poles to on a hot summer’s day, that joy I felt as I quietly worked alone in that kitchen was far more rewarding than any medal or world record. For my strength and courage to allow myself to be truly happy where I was in that very moment, comparative to what had been, is what life is all about . The pace of change is truly a skill we must all take time to understand and cultivate.
Some days I can guarantee your going to forget your personal pace , maybe you haven’t quite figured out the idea of pace and self compassion , maybe you’re still 20 and going off like a frog in a sock , and that’s all ok but just remember that we are not here to constantly produce , conform , purchase , reproduce or excel . It is an act of non conformity to slow down , take a breath, say no , express your true beliefs , create something just because it makes you happy.
The true strength in cultivating a personal structure of personal pace is that no one can take it from you, we are allowed to change pace at any time we wish, it is ours to create.
By Marilyn Tuna – 27/June/24
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