Maintaining perspective in challenging times
Glen believes there is a great deal of uncertainty and panic, and there is probably way too much information available to us so that it becomes difficult to maintain perspective.
Top international duathlete and local resident Glenn Macnamara has some suggestions for people amidst the turmoil and uncertainty in South Africa.
As an individual who trains his body extensively, he is well equipped to understand the body and mind.
Glen, who is a resident of Allen’s Nek, has some suggestions of his own to help residents stay positive during these trying times.
“The body is very adaptable. I have experienced how my body changes during long-distance races and how it always finds a way of dealing with the challenge and keeping me competitive in a race. I have raced in mid-winter in Europe in pouring rain and zero-degree temperatures for more than eight hours.
“I also got top-three results in countries with high temperatures and humidity, like Indonesia and Malaysia.
“The point I wish to make is that our bodies respond to the trials it faces just as they will at this time,” said Glen.
One of Glen’s favourite words is `resilience`, and he believes that our bodies are tremendously resilient.
He recalls races where he suffered from nausea, was weak and felt dizzy, but recovered to go on to win it when it did not seem physically possible at the time.
Glen has also fallen and required stitches on his knees and elbows, but still managed to go on and secure a podium finish.
“Even when people get ill, the body bounces back. My point is all our bodies are resilient; especially now, at this time, I encourage people to learn to trust their bodies,” said the self-motivated Glen.
He believes there is a great deal of uncertainty and panic, and there is probably way too much information available to us so that it becomes difficult to maintain perspective. “it is the fear of the unknown that worries us.”
In many of Glen’s races, things don’t go his way but he works with what he has at that point in time.
Endurance sport has shown him that bad moments pass too; it is simply about “hanging in there” and accepting that you will get to the other side.
“Fear often grows because we project into the future, but we can never know the future.
“Sport has shown me to stay in the present moment in our thoughts,” concluded Glen.
