The popular line “it’s all in your head” is usually used in to dismiss struggle or difficulty but truthfully, a lot of it is. And that can be a good thing. The mind is one of our most powerful tools when harnessed and runners will swear by it. While yes, it is a physical activity any runner will tell you half the battle is rewiring your thinking to believe you CAN do it. When you hit the mental wall it truly becomes mind over matter. You’ve trained for it, you know you can do it, your mind just needs a reminder of that.
Luc Quevauvilliers is a testament to that. As a veteran Comrades runner, we can take his word for how crucial it is to “stick to the plan” when training for something as intense as Comrades. Luc has shown time and time again that the human mind and body is capable of incredible feats.
On Sunday, 14 June, Luc ran the Comrades in a deodorant can costume with a time of 11:39:31. This collaboration with Rexona (formerly known as Shield) to raise money for a worthy cause was done for the second year in a row and this year’s funds went to CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa. Together, Luc and Rexona raised an impressive R81 000.
This serves as an example to younger kids that despite how difficult and impossible a situation may be, things can go from impossible to possible with the right mindset and preparation.