Mental Toughness Revisited Part 3

What about the average athletic individual? This individual might be overweight, or might be a couch potato. The individual might be older .The weather conditions might include rain, snow or triple digits. The individual might have awakened late and felt tired and sluggish. This individual might have remembered that on previous workouts, he experienced soreness, tired legs, oxygen deprivation, high heart rate, pain in the side etc. Mental toughness for these individuals is putting on workout clothes and beginning to exercise. For me, it’s not uncommon to feel lousy in the morning within the comfort of my home. However, when I initiate my trail run, I feel better and am happy that I did start. I know about physical and psychological pain because I ran and was a division winner In the 100 Mile Western States trail run at age 62. I also experienced physical and psychological pain, when I completed with my horse and partner the 100 mile one day Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie. We won that race when I was 68, at the time. More recently, at age 76, in 2016, I experienced discomfort when I ran 20 miles or more. After completing the 50 K “Way Too Cool,” I was evaluated by my physician and he referred me to the surgeon and he surgically repaired my two hernias. It’s clear that there are a myriad of ways to inflict pain upon oneself. I plan to continue with my running. What enables me to get off the couch in the morning is that I have set up a future goal. That goal is related to some competitive running event. I know that if I don’t condition myself properly, I might not complete the event or might even hurt or stress myself even more. If I didn’t have a future event to look forward to, it might be more difficult for me to be as compulsive as I am about my running. In conclusion, Mental Toughness, per Psychological Principle 12 is the acknowledgment and acceptance of Murray’s n Abasement- to accept injury, punishment; to seek and enjoy pain or discomfort. We know, and we accept what can happen when we lace up our running shoes and go for a run. We also know that we are driven by more than this one particular need and further, that we will be fulfilling additional needs that have a multitude of benefits. Moreover, mental toughness is one component within the big picture of the Abasement need and helps explain the motivation of inflicting discomfort directed toward oneself. Obviously, some go to greater extremes than others.

Mental Toughness Revisited Part 2

The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run is an ultra-marathon that takes place on trails in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains. Runners run up a cumulative total of over 18,000 feet and descend a total close to 23,000 feet, before reaching the finish in Auburn, California. The Swanton Pacific 100 mile Ride and Tie with the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and magnificent redwood forest, is an event that has teams consisting of one equine and 2 runners. The entire team begins at the start line together. One teammate rides a certain distance, dismounts and ties the horses’ reins to a tree and then continues running. The initial runner locates the horse on the trail, unties the horse’s reins, mounts and rides toward the direction of the other runner. The teammates, leapfrogs, so to speak, and continue this process for 100 miles. To finish, the entire team has to cross the finish line together for a completion within a 24 hour day. The Barkley Marathon is an ultramarathon trail race held near Wartburg, Tennessee. The race distance is approximate and limited to a 60 hour time limit. This event is limited to 40 runners who pay $1.60 application fee. The entry application is a secret. No details and the entrant must complete an essay of “Why I Should Be Allowed to run in the Barkley?” This race has five full loops {24 miles + or -per loop} and this event been completed 17 times by only 14 runners, all of whom are male. One woman has run as far as 66 miles. Not only that, this quirky run has as a bugler that plays Taps for those runners unable to finish. The Quintuple Anvil Triathlon held in Spotsylvania, Virginia covers over 703 miles and is essentially five Ironman length races over a five day period. This is a full triathlon of swimming, biking and running. One finisher said “I know this is not good for my body, but it is good for my soul.” These four events in no way exhaust the limits or number of amateur events that are examples of inflicting punishment on oneself or what is called mental toughness. To Be Continued

Mental Toughness Revisited

Mental Toughness is a term frequently applied to athletes. I previously had written about this term and postulated 11 psychological principles, that enhanced an individual’s ability to withstand pain and suffering while training. An article titled, in the December 6, 2016 edition of the New York Times, “How Much Suffering Can You Take?” spurred additional thought about this phenomena. Mental Toughness is one aspect of man’s behavior or motivation that causes him to inflict pain and discomfort upon himself. Freud, influenced by World War I, hypothesized a second drive called the death instinct to explain man’s aggressive nature toward man. Within this framework, the term sadism and masochism, explained man motivation for inflicting pain on self and toward others. Later, Dr. Henry Murray, within his Personology Theory identified a need that helped to explain man’s hurtful behavior. Murray called this n Abasement. Abasement he briefly defined as: to accept injury, blame, criticism, punishment. To admit inferiority, error, wrongdoing or defeat. To blame, belittle or mutilate the self. To seek and enjoy pain, punishment, illness and misfortune. We can now see that mental toughness includes both mental, and physical within this human need. The idea of inflicting pain, although not always conscious, toward oneself is universal and part of the human condition [not eating properly, excessive prescription and nonprescription drug use, excessive alcohol use, excessive smoking, lack of exercise, etc.]. I speculate that there are degrees of mental toughness. Further, male-female, young-old, and socioeconomic status may also play a part, as far as differences are concerned. A professional athlete; a college athlete; an Olympic athlete; a Navy seal are examples of individuals that have possessed and have exhibited mental toughness. Other primary and secondary motivations, needs and/or requirements operate as well. Some examples of these include economic benefits, affiliation, dominance, aggression, fame, glory etc. that are variables that pertain and associated with behavior. Man being complex is more than fulfilling just one variable at a time. However, let’s not eliminate all man’s needs, but hold the economic advantages constant. We can do that by focusing on extreme amateur sports that do not have a major economic value. The 100 mile Western States, a one day running event; the 100 mile Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie, one day event; the Barkley Marathon and the Quintuple Anvil Triathlon come to mind. To Be Continued

Run For Your Brain Part 2

In this study, lab rodents were used as subjects. The researchers made three groups 1.The running group allowed the rodents to run at will on their running wheels.2. Resistant training group involved having them climb a wall with tiny weights attached to their tails. 3. High intensity interval training group had the animals sprint on a treadmill with a rapid and strenuous pace for three minutes, followed by two minutes at a slower pace. This entire sequence was repeated twice more, for a total of 15 minutes of running. Each group was subjected to over seven weeks in the experiment. Then the researchers examined the brain tissue in the hippocampus for each group. The findings showed that distance running, stimulated more release of B. D. N. F. than the other two groups. The resistance or weight training group however, demonstrated more muscular health benefits. One can argue about the research methodology in each of these studies. Remember, using animals for research has been long-standing. Thank you, Charles Darwin. What struck me was the fact that nutrition, vitamins, and supplements were not variables at all. The one variable that got my attention was movement or exercise. For these studies, we still don’t know or have clear definitions of vigorous or strenuous exercise per age or age group. At this juncture, each individual must create their own regimen of movement and/or physical exercise program. These research findings suggested that physical exercise is a significant key for memory, attention and hippocampus growth. I would be surprised if I developed Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia. Since my late 50s, or for the past 20 years or so, I have been, on average, running at least 50 miles per week. Also included have been some form of free weight training and/or doing chin-ups and push-ups. To know if my regime is working, I need to be tested for memory and attention, and my level of neurogenesis growth in my hippocampus. There might or might not be appropriate norms to compare me with others. For example, in my most recent competitive 10 mile trail run, there were only 4 other participants in my age group. That suggests that there are many non-trail runners in my age group. In signing off, remember this motto “keep moving.”

Run for Your Brain

Two articles in the January 1, 2017 edition of the New York Times pertained to healthy aging. The first article, “How to Become a Superager” was a study that compared, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the brains of 17 superagers to those brains of similarly aged people. The superager is one whose memory and attention is above average for their age. Their brain compared favorably to the brain of a healthy active 25-year-old. These researchers found that the regions of the cortex that are associated with memory and attention were in fact thicker for the superagers. In other words, there was less age-related atrophy in the brains of the -superager’s. And of course the superager’s had better performance scores on tests of memory and attention. These researchers hypothesized that one can keep these cortex regions of the brain healthy through vigorous exercise and strenuous mental effort. Although physical exercise wasn’t clearly defined, they pointed to discomfort as a result of exertion, which means building muscle and discipline by using a Marine Corps motto “pain is weakness leaving the body.” They added that deciphering puzzles like Sudoku and other brain games are not enough to strengthen those cortex regions in the brain. The second article, “For a Happy Hippocampus, Keep Running” focused on the relationship of physical exercise on the development of new neurons found in the hippocampus. The primary function of the hippocampus is learning and memory formation. This study measured brain- derived neurotrophic factor B. D. N. F .production. To Be Continued

Harbaugh and Schembechler Part 3

Under coach Harbaugh, the Wolverines attained a 20-6 overall record; a 13-4 Big Ten conference record; and a 1-1 postseason with a win in the Citrus Bowl; and loss in the Orange Bowl. The University of Michigan was ranked numbers 11 and 10 in the AP polls, respectively. Coach Schembechler achieved in his first two years, a 17-4 overall record; a 12-2 Big Ten conference record; and a loss in the Rose Bowl. His Wolverines were ranked number 9 in the AP poll for both 1969 and 1970. Bo didn’t find the cupboard bare when he inherited Bump Elliott’s team. In fact, many of Bumps recruits were college all Americans; and drafted into the pros. All Pro Dan Dierdorf was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame; All Pro Thom Darden, was elected into the Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame, and All Pro, Reggie McKenzie was inducted into the Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame. Thus, Bo had a solid foundation from which to begin his quest, starting in his first season in 1969. Likewise, Jim Harbaugh’s cupboard wasn’t strictly bare of talent either. Jake Ryan is having a stellar season with the playoff bound Green Bay Packers. All-Americans, Jabrill Peppers, Jake Butt, and Jourdan Lewis are likely to have solid careers at the next level. However, in Bo’s third year, his Wolverines attained an 11-1 overall record; an 8-0 Big Ten conference, and a loss in the Rose Bowl. Also, he beat the Buckeyes, two out of three games they played. Let’s see what Harbaugh’s Wolverines can muster in the 2017 season? He’s going to lose a significant number of his seniors in 2016, so 2017 will be a good test. Jim Harbaugh has a long way to go. He’s already lost twice to the Buckeyes-42-13 in 2015 and 27-24 in 2016. Don’t forget that Bump was fired, when he lost to Ohio State 50 to 14. So much for the numbers and statistics as there is more that goes in the definition of what makes a great coach. What about the coach’s significant impact on his players lives and their psychological development? Bo Schembechler’s, greatest teaching, amid the racial divide in the 60s, was when he taught his young athletes about the meaning of “the team.” His players learned not to lose their identity, but to hold their narcissism in check even with unorthodox conditioning and brutal practice conditions. They learned they could accomplish the unfathomable by coalescing as “one” with a seemingly unbreakable bond. They came together in 1969 like a non-severed Gordian knot. In fact, the bond between these men still remain. In this process, Bo taught them, and he in turn learned from them, creating a unity of brotherhood along with a sense of integrity, honesty, trustworthiness and love. They never forgot him and he never forgot them. Good luck, Coach Harbaugh because now it’s your turn- Go Blue

Harbaugh and Schembechler Part 2

First year Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh has a more comprehensive and impressive resume than his mentor Bo. For example, the All-American and Heisman candidate Harbaugh was Bo’s quarterback. Quarterback Harbaugh’s was a first round NFL draft pick in 1987, and played 14 years in the NFL. He was also an assistant football coach at Western Kentucky and an assistant NFL coach with the Oakland Raiders. He then became head coach at the University of San Diego; Stanford; and the San Francisco 49ers. Unlike Schembechler, Jim Harbaugh was in high demand by the NFL before he accepted the U of M coaching position by interim athletic director, Jim Hackett. The Michigan Wolverines did not fare well after head coach Lloyd Carr’s retirement. Head coaches Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke did not stop the beatings by Ohio State; nor was Michigan a football powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination. The attendance was still good at the Big House, but Bo Schembechler was turning over in his grave because of the less than stellar football, played during those years. Wolverine football was at its crossroads hoping for the Messiah. Then, coach Harbaugh became available and was immediately hired; given an enormous salary; with the keys to the Big House. Although, it’s much too early to give the crown to Jim Harbaugh, we can compare his first few years in Ann Arbor to his mentor.

Harbaugh and Schembechler

Jim Harbaugh, the current University of Michigan football coach, arrived in Ann Arbor on December of 2014, at age 51, with tremendous enthusiasm by all. Can he become the greatest football coach in the “ modern era” in Wolverine history? Currently, that title belongs to none other than Bo Schembechler. Bo Schembechler, age 39, was seen in Ann Arbor in December over 49 years ago, in 1968. He was not greeted with an overabundance of adoring enthusiasm. In fact, the new athletic director Don Canham fired All American, Rose Bowl player and Rose Bowl winning coach Bump Elliott, beloved by all. This icon, in fact, led the Wolverines to an 8-2 won loss record in 1968. However, the mortal wound that led to his dismissal was the unmerciful beating by Woody Hayes and his Ohio State Buckeyes that season by a score of 50 to 14 in Columbus. Other factors that played a part in Bump’s dismissal, was the lack of interest in Michigan Football. There were many diversions for the students and alumni during those tumultuous years - political assassinations, race riots, Vietnam War and changes in social and sexual mores. That 1969 football season didn’t start off well for coach Schembechler, as Bumps, former players severely didn’t like Bo. They were neither buying into his coaching nor conditioning methods nor his offensive and defensive football philosophy. The team, that season, was struggling with a 3-2 record during their first five games, and were behind in the first half of their sixth game against the University of Minnesota. Bo, with a soft-spoken voice, told the warriors at halftime “We are the better team and do not to waste this opportunity.” Bo’s players united as they became “the team.” They then demolished the Gophers, followed by thrashing Illinois and Iowa, in that order. They were now ready for the revenge and showdown against Woody’s Buckeyes on that wintry November 22, 1969 game in front of 103,588 fans. Thus, Bo Schembechler, on that infamous Saturday, in Ann Arbor, began his quest, his identity and eventually he became the legend. Bo led his Wolverines for the next 21 years, with sellouts in the Big House; 234 victories and 65 losses and eight ties; winning or sharing 13 Big Ten conference titles during his realm. While leading the Wolverines during this glorious time, he was the winningest football coach in the nation. And he alone has a statue in front of Schembechler Hall. To Be Continued

Mass Killings

We have many acts of violence, mass killings in our country! The American College Dictionary, defines violence as “rough or injurious action or treatment.” The following are a few brief examples of influences that contribute, correlate with the personality and character development of individuals that commit acts of hate. 1. Implicit bias is rooted and a human tendency-maybe in the DNA that divide and discriminate against others in our social world. In other words, “It’s us versus them.” Early on, we differentiate acceptance of others like us versus fear or threat of others not like us. Groups are often divided among race, religion, sex, socioeconomic status, political parties, etc. Even a football team has its own followers and haters- the enemy. We perceive, have feelings for and treat our own groups, significantly differently from “the other.” 2. Our culture, dating back to the Monroe doctrine of 1823 and the idea of Manifest Destiny, followed by two centuries of American exceptionalism painted a picture of glorified acts of violence. There was justified killing of Native Americans by settlers and soldiers in taming the West. Our movies and TV Westerns were about the good guys and the Indians as the bad villains. Even today, theater and home audiences clap, cheer in delight when a bad hombre gets killed. 3. Our video games are mostly about violence. For example, the Grand Theft Auto series of videos has resulted in more than $2.5 billion in sales. Is there a difference between killing in the video and killing in our communities? Do we become numb and desensitized to images of death? 4. The media and their daily news cycles tend to give lots of information about the perpetrator, compared to the victims. We see their names and faces along with their history. We may even hear from their mother, father and the neighbor in the process. The killer is covered with a 24-7 blitz. The murderers have instant notoriety during that exuberance of TV coverage. If one wants a claim to fame, - go destroy a group of unprotected, unarmed and peaceful civilians. Back in the day, we had trusted and trustworthy journalists like Walter Cronkite and Edward R Murrow. They objectively, without regard to political party, reported the news. Today, we are not presented with TV or radio, rational-objective news. Instead, we are presented with cable, personalities and social media sites that provide us with noise, entertainment, misinformation, glorification and countless interviews with repeated talking points. TV and the Internet have changed our world-in some ways for the detriment of all. 5. Child abuse, maltreatment and other restrictive and negative parenting practices also contribute to the development of the violent personality. These factors affect the highly suggestible, who have not developed a firm sense of self. Further, many are paranoid and blame others for what they see as disappointments in their life time of failures. It’s easy to blame injustice on others, and then distort and justify one’s acts. They have developed a sadomasochistic character style. They do not place a high value on life. They simply treat others inhumanely. There also depressed, socially isolated, and are unable to perceive an optimistic future. There being, is about taking life, not giving it. Sources: The National Psychologist, September/October 2016 and the New York Times, December 11, 2016.