womensrunninguk.co.uk MARCH 2017 59
MILES WITH SMILES“A
nyone who takes himself too
seriously always runs the risk
of looking ridiculous; anyone
who can consistently laugh
at himself does not,” the ex-president of
former Czechoslovakia, Václav Havel, once
said. Wise words indeed from a countryman
of the legendary Emil Zatopek, who won an
incredible four Olympic gold medals. But
what Mr Havel may not have realised is that
laughing (at yourself, or the world in general)
can also be an incredibly powerful tool when
it comes to keeping going when the going
gets tough in a race or training run.
“Humour helps us cope with difficult
situations,” says London-based clinical
sports psychologist Dr Victor Thompson
(sportspsychologist.com). “Just think of
gallows humour, when people make fun at or
around the time of a death – including their
own. It helps us to cope with the enormity of
a challenging situation. Compared to facing
the hangman, for example, a marathon
can seem like an instantly more doable
challenge!”
Dr Rhonda Cohen (sportpsych.co.uk),
sport and exercise psychologist at Middlesex
University and author of Sport Psychology:
The Basics (Bloomsbury Press, £22), has an
interesting alternative explanation: “We try
to keep our bodies in a state of homeostasis
or balance,” she says. “The ‘relief theory’
states that humour relieves the discomfort
we experience when we’re running hard and
hence feel off-balance. Laughter is therefore
a healthy reaction to uncomfortable physical
sensations.”
THE ENDORPHIN EFFECT
So how exactly does laughter help us feel
better while running? “When we laugh,
our body relaxes and releases feel-good
hormones called endorphins, which are also
potent morphine-like natural painkillers,”
says psychotherapist Samantha Carbon
(samanthacarbontherapy.co.uk). “I believe
that whatever your ability, limitations or
A SENSE OF HUMOUR WILL GET YOU THROUGH THE
TOUGHEST RACES. HERE’S HOW (AND WHY) YOU
SHOULD PUT A TOUCH OF THE RIDICULOUS BACK
INTO YOUR RUNNING
Words: Lisa Jacksonsituation, having a sense of humour while
running can help. If humour can work in
terrible situations, such as being imprisoned
in a concentration camp, which Viktor Frankl
wrote about in his book, Man’s Search For
Meaning, then it can support us too when
we find ourselves struggling to cope during
a run.”
Thompson agrees that endorphins are
key to feeling good while running: “Thesecalming, happy chemicals help us to feel
better and more relaxed,” he says. But
he also credits the contagious nature of
laughter with having incredibly positive
effects. “When we laugh, others are more
likely to laugh,” he says, “and this binds us
to them and sends out the message that
everything is fine, which helps us relax.
Being relaxed, in turn, helps to reduce
nerves and muscular tension, improving our
frame of mind and physical performance.”LESS PAIN, MORE GAIN
Humour is also a good way to mentally
distract you from emotional and physical
pain. “It can act as a cushion between the
individual and the event and reduce the
intensity of a situation,” says Carbon. “When
I snapped my Achilles tendon years ago,
I remember my former pole vault coach“Wear a crazy costume
or a silly hat – not only
will it make you smile, but
it’ll make others grin, too,
meaning you might benefit
from their support,” says
Dr Victor Thompson. “Or
imagine that you are all
being chased by a giant
Mr Tickle and when he
catches you, he’ll tickle
you mercilessly.”“Ahead of a run, instead of
pumped-up music, listen
to a comedy sketch,”
suggests Samantha
Carbon. “During difficult
moments, reflect on the
jokes you heard to get you
over the line. You can also
try mid-race games, such
as singing, ‘Another one
bites the dust’ when you
pass each mile marker, or
pretending you’re playing
Pacman and that you’re
gobbling up each runner
you pass.”“Buy a plain wristband and
decorate it with something
that makes you laugh – a
word, picture or slogan,”
suggests Dr Rhonda
Cohen. “Another idea is
to make or buy a funny
t-shirt to wear, which
reads something such
as, ‘I laugh in the face of a
hard run’. Or enter races
with an unusual theme –
investigate sumo races,
mud runs and colour runs,
which are guaranteed to
put the fun into every run.”Self-help for
wannabe smilers
ITCHING TO HARNESS THE POWER OF HUMOUR IN YOUR NEXT RUN?
HERE THE EXPERTS GIVE THEIR ADVICE FOR PUTTING SMILES INTO THE MILES...MILE
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