Blessing or curse? Flow in a marathon
As part of my research, I am looking into the topic of "flow" - the phenomenon that Professor Csikzentmihalyi from the University of Chicago defines as an "optimal experience". Flow describes a state in which demands and abilities are in such an ideal relationship that a person is completely absorbed in an activity on which they are focussed and capable of outstanding performance. The concept has long been known in competitive and extreme sports, which is why today I am meeting runner and personal trainer Friederike Sziegoleit, who has been working intensively with marathon runners for years, to ask her about her experiences and the risks of the flow.
What appeals to you about marathon running?
The fact that you learn to control yourself and master new goals. The mental competition with myself gives me immense satisfaction. I try to pass on my enthusiasm for such challenges to my students.
How much training are you currently doing yourself?
At the moment, I'm mainly training others and giving myself a break. But in a few weeks, I will start to actively work on my fitness again so that I can run ultramarathons again soon.
What makes it different from regular marathons?
A marathon is already 42.195 kilometers long. The longer races are called ultramarathons.
Isn't that incredibly dangerous?
(laughs) It's dangerous if you compete untrained, but the risk is calculable. Training aims to prepare yourself well and push your body's limits. It only becomes life-threatening during a desert marathon. If you don't drink regularly, your circulation can collapse. But you are also preparing for this during training.
How can you forget to drink in the desert?
This is often due to inadequate preparation. Then there is the flow effect, which overrides your primary needs for a certain time. You are so focused on running that everything else fades into the background until your body runs out of energy and you fall over.
What options are there to minimise this risk?
To minimise the risk, you have to consciously deal with it in advance. During training, we mentally play through certain scenarios and learn what to do if we feel this or that in our body. A clear goal that is constantly in front of us is essential to persevere.
What exactly happens when you get into this flow while running? How exactly does it work?
In the beginning, you're happy, then it gets tiring, then you have to really push yourself and usually, you automatically get into the flow without realising it. Then your sense of time disappears and you are only focussed on the goal. You hardly even notice your own body anymore. This increases the risk of injury. But at this moment, you feel weightless and connected to everything.
That sounds wonderful, but this is also one of the biggest risks of the flow effect because you overestimate yourself and think that everything is under your control.
True. In a state of flow, you can really overestimate yourself. The only thing that helps is to trust your own intuition. Reinhold Messner also advises this in his book. He has turned his back on several challenges because he suddenly had a bad feeling.
In your opinion, how addictive is the flow?
High! Running is like a drug for me. That's okay because running is healthy. And it boosts your self-confidence when you see what you can achieve. I don't think there's a real creative process anywhere in life if you're not in that flow. It's the only way to surpass yourself.
Can you learn flow?
To be honest, I don't know if you can learn to be in flow. But running can be trained. Just like your own mind. If you can concentrate fully on a single goal without being distracted by anything, you can also get into the flow.
What other side effects does being in this state frequently have?
Marathon running is exhausting. You train for several hours every week and may neglect other areas of your life. But what you learn during these hours with yourself is worth every effort. You become aware of your own strength, learn to interpret your body's signals, and then how to keep them under control. Your ability to think also improves.
Is running for everyone?
Many people are enthusiastic about running these days and with the right training, many make it to the start of a marathon. However, to persevere and become really good, you need a great deal of stamina and determination. What makes running so special is the battle that each of us has to fight with ourselves. And for that, you need but one thing: strong nerves.
