SMILE!

A SENSE OF HUMOUR WILL GET YOU THROUGH THE TOUGHEST RACES . HERE ’ S HOW ( AND WHY ) YOU SHOULD PUTA TOUCH OF THE RIDICULOUS BACK INTO YOUR RUNNING

SMILE!

A SENSE OF HUMOUR WILL GET YOU THROUGH THE TOUGHEST RACES . HERE ’ S HOW ( AND WHY ) YOU SHOULD PUTA TOUCH OF THE RIDICULOUS BACK INTO YOUR RUNNING

WORDS:LISA JACKSON

“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!”