Flow State and The Alter Ego.

Flow State – An altered state of consciousness in which the mind functions at its peak, time may seem distorted, and a sense of happiness prevails.

Alter Ego – A persons second or alternative personality.

Two days ago on April 12th, 2019 I ran the 5k at University of the Cumberlands track. going into the race I had a sense of urgency to make it a very big effort for myself. The last time I had entered the oval office (the track) to run a 5k I had well under performed and ran a 17:30. While the effort did take place in 30mph headwinds there was still no excuse. With my family in the stands, teammates on the field, and passion in my heart the gun went off. My thoughts going into the race were about a video I had watched the day before about a man named James Lawrence aka The Iron Cowboy. A man who completed 50 ironman triathlons in 50 days in all 50 states. When asked how he had accomplished such an impossible and tasking feat he said that when he put his yellow sunglasses on he no longer was James Lawrence that the yellow sunglasses were his uniform and like Clark Kent becomes Superman with an “S” on his chest James Lawrence became the “Iron Cowboy.” So I decided when I put my spikes on which are adorned with Golden Wings, that I was no longer Seth Hardwick. But, instead I was someone else whether that was an old persona such as “WishMan” as my old high school friends called me or if it was “The Viking Runner” or something and someone completely new. Maybe, just maybe this was the person waiting for the chants of “Hermes Wings” to ring around him. Whatever and whoever it was it did not matter, for when the gun went off I had no idea what would happen next. I have heard of the law of attraction which states in sum that what you believe you can do and what you can envision you can manifest into reality. I have always found this to be true, I have also however, heard about flow state. From fighters such as Israel Adesanya as he refers to flow state as “God Mode” because, he feels like he can do anything and his opponents nothing. I have long wondered what it would be like to find this state and on the track 2 days ago I found out what it was like. Early on in the race I found a pace that just felt right. I was exhausting myself with effort but it felt effortless at the same time. A pace that had murdered me two months previously on an indoor track in Birmingham, Alabama now felt like it was just coming to me.  I felt relaxed and 100% in control to make my second successful sub 17 minute effort. Mile 1 done, mile 2 done, Jordan Tucker a teammate yells to me “10:57 at the 2 mile Seth you have to go!” In my mind I told myself no need to panic I got this just click it up a notch and so I did. At my previous sub 17 race I had hit the 2 mile mark with Jordan by my side at 10:16 and I believe it exhausted me in my last mile and kept me from an even bigger PR. So, being 41 seconds slower did not scare me it was more calming knowing I had plenty more to give. Mile 3 lets go… lap one done. lap two was too easy, lap three give it to me, lap four kicking down the door. 300 meters to go… Noah Brown another fellow teammate yells the most meaningful words of the whole race “Seth you are at 16 flat you have to go!” Man I am telling you I live for these moments, these are the moments I train for, I dream of, and I work for. One. Last. Push. LETS GO! Big kick time people in front of me? HAWK THEM DOWN LETS GO! Finish line crossed, watch stopped, look at my wrist… 16:53.2 task completed and achievement unlocked. Two 16 minute stars under my belt now. Honestly I felt blessed I don’t know what came over me that night but I am just ecstatically happy I could perform so well in front of my friends and family. All credit to God above. To close this blog I will reiterate that James Lawrence was right having an Alter Ego makes a difference, and Israel Adesanya was spot on when he compared Flow State to “God Mode.” If you are reading this find your passion, fight for it, commit to it, and do it well.

– The Viking Runner

Splits from the race.

Mile one – 1st lap 1:17.50, 2nd lap 1:22.64, 3rd lap 1:22.80, 4th lap 1:21.46 – 5:24.40 mile

Mile two – 1st lap 1:22.16, 2nd lap 1:23.81, 3rd lap 1:23.53, 4th lap 1:22.64 – 5:32.14 mile

Mile three – 1st lap 1:20.75, 2nd lap 1: 21.16, 3rd lap 1:22.06, 4th lap 1:18.46 – 5:22.43

last 200 meters in 34.18 seconds.

3.12 miles aka 5k total time – 16:53.2