Hi, I’m James.
And I’m mental.
A response I often get to people learning that I’ve run various ultramarathons is: “You must be mental!”
I choose to take that as a compliment, because being “mental” has taken a lot of hard work.
I wasn’t always mental.
I mean in the sense of being able to recognise how I reacted to different experiences, and the emotions I would feel as a result of them. So, when a rugby injury stripped me of my identity and my healthy, disciplined routine, I didn’t know how to cope with it. I shut myself away from my friends and family, and spiralled into depression and alcoholism.
Three years later, I hit rock bottom and something had to change. I vowed to quit drinking and it was a fitness challenge that proved my redemption – I signed up to run the London Marathon, giving myself back the structure I so badly needed. Since crossing that finish line I have sought to challenge myself in a series of increasingly arduous ultramarathons and fitness challenges – and as a ‘recruit’ on SAS: Who Dares Wins – that have tested me to my limits, all the while focusing on being more mental to cope with life’s ups and downs.
Metacognition is the scientific term for thinking about thinking. It’s reflecting on how you feel and why you feel. Like looking in a metaphorical mirror. By building a level of self-awareness, you start to develop a connection with yourself mentally and start to understand the emotions you feel as a result of different scenarios and experiences.
This is mental fitness. It’s the ability to get through the challenges that we face on a daily basis. It’s managing the difficult situations without our emotions getting the better of us, but it’s also recognising the good situations and fully appreciating them.
So, “I’m mental” is often how I start my talks, encouraging others to take the same approach of putting more effort into learning about themselves. It doesn’t have to be through ultramarathons – mental fitness is a personal endeavour. But it does require work and making time for yourself, a concept that many of us struggle with. If that is ringing bells for you, perhaps we should talk.