10/3/14: Train your Inner Coach: 1890.1 to 1899.2 Miles

Buy on Amazon

Virtual Hike Weather Map The animated street view didn't work for this leg, so the weather map will keep you oriented. Today's leg ends just west of the Idaho border. I completed segment 29 today, and it is the last day in Washington. Progress seems faster even though I haven't been averaging more miles a day. I guess it's like years going faster as a person gets older.

Buy on Amazon

Train your Inner Coach

My Inner Coach is the person I talk to when I talk to myself. He is one of the other people in my Master Mind. Some people call this part of thought the mind stream. I call this, "What you are thinking when you are not thinking." Try to stop thought for 10 seconds, and what is left is the mind stream. 

During the last few months, I learned to teach my Inner Coach to plan my walking. I did this through a series of conversations with my coach. These conversations are in the book, "Road Walking: Conversations with my Coach." You can get the book here. Anyone can use this as an example for learning any activity.

The Inner Coach will follow any instructions you give it. How? There is another part of mind I call, ____, well I don't know what to call it, because nobody knows what 'it' is. If it has a name, it isn't 'it.' 'It' is the part of the mind that is completely unknown. 

The Inner Coach is the intermediary between the conscious and the 'it' part of the mind. Although 'it' is unknown, we know how to control 'it.' Give the instructions to your Inner Coach and it happens.

The best way to learn about your Inner Coach is to have frequent talks. You can use my book as an example. Personally, I write down the conversations so I can review them later. 

Written words form a contract between you and your Inner Coach. To make it a contract, have both parties sign it. Be specific in your instructions as in the example at the end of this post.

I ask my Inner Coach to create an effect. He works with 'it' to get the effect. For example, "I want to walk without pain."

28 Day Training Cycle

As I looked ahead, this week looked difficult. I was dreading it because last week was hard and this week requires more miles. Now that I'm in it, this week is turning out to be easier. Yesterday's walk was effortless, and the long walk this morning was also effortless. 

I think it's because of the new directions I gave my inner coach. Today my inner coach had me walk a little slower in the first mile and then speed up to my normal pace. 

New Directions

1. Walk without pain

2. Walk without fatigue

3. Walk as fast as possible without violating the first two.