"Which is more important to you? Your life or this marathon?" the Psyching
Team leader asked the runner.
I am at the New York City Marathon as a member of the Psyching Team, doing brief mental skills training interventions. A worried-looking man approaches me and asks whether I think he should run. On the previous day, he explains, he was given an EKG and obtained "equivocal" results. His physician expressed some concern to him.
I ask the man some questions about his health and risk factors. He appears immovably indecisive. Finally, recognizing that this is a medical as well as psychological question, I introduce him to Harold Selman, M.D., the psychiatrist who co-leads that Psyching Team. He asks similar questions and receives correspondingly inconclusive replies. Harold assures the man that, if he decides not to run this year, he can be entered in next year's race.
Still, nothing is settled. Finally Harold pulls out the big card:
"Which is more important," he asks, "Your life or this race?"
At this, the man suddenly draws himself up, all doubt resolved. With conviction, he states, "I'll run."
The next day I carefully check the New York Times. There are no reports of death on the race course.
************************************************
Here's a second story. (This one I remember in part because it was one of those rare moments when I was able to come up with the right quip at the right time...rather than 5 minutes later.)
Again, I'm on the Psyching Team and it's the morning of the race. A group of guys are sitting out those interminable minutes before race starts. Hearing me comment to a few others that I'm with the Psyching Team, one of the men calls me over.
His lead question: "Do you think I'm crazy?"
It's a great question to pique the interest of a psychologist. I ask him why.
He's a chef...and he's planning to run the race wearing his chef's hat-and carrying a cake.
Re-framing his initial self-statement, I respond, "Well, that's not crazy, but it's certainly unique." I figure he'll run with more ease if he thinks of himself as unique rather than crazy.
Maybe he's just chatting in order to get the time to pass. Maybe, though, he's a bit anxious about whether he'll actually be able to carry the cake and run. I decide to inquire further.
Has he ever carried a cake while running?
Yes.
How far?
18 miles.
Hmmm, I think to myself. 18 miles. That's about the point where his body might start to object to what he's expecting of it. That's around the distance where someone might "hit the wall." I decide to play with my response. This way, I figure, even if or when the running becomes physiologically uncomfortable, he may be able to smile.
"Well then, you know you can run 18 miles" I comment. "After that...it's a piece of cake."
******************
I've been involved with Psyching Teams at marathons since the mid-1980s. Along the way, I've had a wonderful time meeting runners and offering them suggestions. It's definitely sport psychology in action.
Sometimes, I can help people set realistic goals. Sometimes, I've enjoyed being creative with a piece of finish line ribbon that we give to runners as a talisman of our interaction. It reminds them of a key word to help their run go well. Other times, I've assisted people when they're dealing with a disappointing result, an injury, or a failed relationship. As with psychotherapy, counseling, or consulting, each story is different in some way and each encounter is a new opportunity.
*******************
If you're a psychologist, sport psychologist, mental health professional, or advanced graduate student in one of these fields and would like to be a member of the Toronto Marathon Psyching Team this year (October 16 and 17, 2010), contact Dr. Peter Papadogiannis @ peterpapa30@msn.com
