In mental health terms, a flow state is where you are completely at one with your mind and body, when you find yourself completely absorbed by the activity you’re taking part in, with no distractions. It is hard to manufacture a flow state, but finding one through exercise is possible. Flow is something that comes to mind when speaking to people targeting ultra-distances, and those attempting to set fastest-known times, or FKTs.
“It’s very meditative,” double FKT holder Cat Morrison explains. “If you asked me what I was doing in these 24 hours, I wouldn’t actually be able to tell you because I’m just in some sort of meditative state when I’m moving. I’m spending time in my own head, which sounds really like it would be horrific, but there’s not a lot going on – I’m just concentrating, but there are different levels, depending on the terrain. It’s all-encompassing, like a disconnect from everything.”
