Overcoming adversity during an ultra endurance event… and life!

We all know the scenario, you have been training for months for a big event, you feel great at the start, and you know you can smash it! Then out of the blue everything starts falling apart. Your whole race plan is kaput, doubts creep in and you stop believing in yourself and your training, resulting in a bad time or a DNF!

There are several strategies that you can employ to get yourself out of a DNF situation. The one I use most is ADAPT, a system that was originally developed by Coach Jason Koop (currently one of the best trail coaches in the world) which is a step-by-step framework for dealing with adversity during an endurance event.

Although The ADAPT system is generally employed in the Ultra Trail scene, it can be used in road running too.

Ultra-distance running is a sport built on adversity, extreme distances, changing weather conditions (anyone remember Comrades 2013?) and countless other hurdles that may all conspire to throw you off your game. Yet runners are a triumphant bunch and with the correct mindset, they can overcome most obstacles and show that ultimately, the human spirit shines abundantly.

Whether it is the winner of Comrades, the runner just missing the silver cut off, the Bill Rowan or the sub-12-hour runner, ultra-distance running is littered with fables of missteps unfolding into either triumph or failure.

ADAPT is not a novel concept, entities such as the Boy Scouts and the military developed similar concepts to deal with adversity.

So, what is ADAPT?

ACCEPT:

When the poo hits the fan, before you take another step, simply pause, take a deep breath, and ACCEPT the situation that you are in. Whether you are fatigued, cramping, nauseous or just in a dark place, the first step is to accept the situation that you are in.

Becoming emotional is the worst thing you can do, as emotions cloud judgement. Acceptance blunts emotions. Keeping this in mind, you will be in a better space to think reasonably and to take steps to alleviate your situation.

DIAGNOSE:

Now that the pity party has ended, you can assess your situation, identify the problems and if necessary, make a quick inventory of what action needs to be taken to solve the problem.

Once the problem has been identified, accepting it makes the situation a lot more tolerable.

ANALYSE:

You have now identified and accepted the problem, what are you going to do about it? Will a stretch routine help? Do you have a gel or something to eat? Could you just sit down and relax for five minutes? There are a host of tools that you can employ to help you out if you think rationally about it and not panic or do something irrational.

By taking some time to accept and diagnose the problem, you will find several solutions to your immediate situation.

PLAN:

Now its action time! This is the phase where you are going to plan and sort the issues out so that you can get moving again.

Move to the next aid station or refreshment table and get help if needed, have your legs massaged, eat some solid food, stick your finger down your throat and vomit to get rid of nausea or sit on the pavement and have a good cry!

What really works well is to phone a friend (yeah yeah it is a bit like Who Wants To be a Millionaire!) or a loved one and have a quick moan. These are quick fixes that may be the difference between feeling overwhelmed or starting to move again!

Basically, do anything that gets you back into a clear state of mind and purpose.

TAKE ACTION:

When all is said and done. Take ACTION!

You have the power and the tools to take whatever lemons you have in front of you and make lemonade!

TAKE ACTION AND NEVER LOOK BACK!