# Visualization gets me to 5k

By [Ram](https://paragraph.com/@ram008) · 2023-08-02

---

Visualization is a powerful technique. Not just in meditation but almost anything you want to put your mind to. I applied this to my running for the first time today. The running coach instructed over my AirPods - “Imagine you are at the start line of a race that you ran well at. What made you run it well? How did you start?”

That’s all that was needed. My mind went to some of my best races back in 2013. Especially the ones that I did not even think I would run. It was akin to pushing someone down a slope when they have no choice but to roll. That’s how I went into Pleasanton for my very first 5k run. Sure I was better trained and ready compared to today, but I also did not have the weight of expectations on me nor did I have 9 marathons or 20 half marathons of burden to live up to.

So, today I pictured myself being at the starting line of a race that I have never run. It was not too hard to picture as it has been a while since my last 5k. No one watching or judging, me included. Just move and I moved for the first time in ages for almost the entire 5k. Just that visual was all I needed. I stopped looking at the stats and just took in the rather mundane scenery complemented by the visualization.

Got past the 5k feeling fresh, energized and ready to run the 10k. Not too far away, it is coming up this weekend. But I know that I will take it 500m at a time and get there in 20 iterations putting one step after the next like the Elephant in the African savannah.

**One aside and a random thought** - COVID-19 has led to the emergence of AI. I can see this in the running field. The running coach was completely virtual, driven by AI, came in and out to prompt me based on my running progress and pacing, forked to the right motivation triggers I needed. Before COVID, I engaged a real running coach and physical trainer. I know eyes are trained on the East in the country of origin of COVID for signs of what lead to its leak. Can we completely exclude VCs from the equation? Food for thought… after all this forced digitization, caused us to flee to fully virtual environments and lead to 2-3 waves of innovation and up/down cycles. With VCs, I am more like Dr. House, don’t trust always verify.

---

*Originally published on [Ram](https://paragraph.com/@ram008/visualization-gets-me-to-5k)*