When Time Slows Down

Serious answer this time.
I heard this discussed one night long ago at a dinner meeting with some race
car drivers at a show I was doing .
I remember them saying it was a well known phenom, usually brought on by
unusually high stress or extremely high performance levels. I have no idea
where or how to research it, but I personally believe I experienced it at
least once during a high school track meet where I was competing in the
hundred. It happened near the finish line as I was in a dead heat with the
guy in the left lane next to me. I was straining and reaching for the
stride. Suddenly, everything seemed to fit into place somehow. My mind was
suddenly as clear as a crystal bell. Everything slowed down and my running
become effortless.
Anyway, I won the heat, but lost the final :-)
It never happened to me during my tenure in aviation, and I spent most of
that in a high stress environment to say the least.
Dudley Henriques

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
Do you ever experience the sensation that time is slowing down for you?
E.G. Your brain and motor functions are moving at normal speed, but
everything around you has slowed down?

I've had this sensation more than a few times. A couple of times when I
was in auto accidents (not my fault) and could see the whole thing slowly
unfolding around me. Another situation where things seem to move in slow
motion is when I'm riding as passenger in a light airplane and we're in
the landing phase. Approach and touchdown seems to be in slow motion when
someone else is flying.

Occasionally, like this evening, I get the slow-mo feeling when I'm
landing the airplane. The white stripes are passing slowly, the airplane
is gently settling towards the runway, and I can pick whether to land on
the left main, right main, tailwheel, all three at once, or any two of the
three, with the third to follow whenever I want, and the airplane seems to
be at taxi speed as soon as I touch down.

What's up with that, and where do I sign up for more?

"Dudley Henriques" dhenriques@noware .net wrote

Serious answer this time.
I heard this discussed one night long ago at a dinner meeting with some
race
car drivers at a show I was doing .
I remember them saying it was a well known phenom, usually brought on by
unusually high stress or extremely high performance levels.

I have experienced it on many occasions. The latest was during a car wreck
where I went off the road, and a low shoulder and embankment conspired to
keep me from getting back on, again.

I was most surprised this time by how many thoughts, decisions and reactions
flashed through my mind. My theory is that it is an evolved state, that
helped our cavemen ancestors to survive the most threatening situations. By
allowing total concentration, and being able to make a multitude of extra
reactions than would normally be possible, it may have given them the edge
necessary to survive.
--
Jim in NC

I suspect that those who are good at sports where there is high speed
action have a brain that is better at processing things quicly. Someone
throws a ball to me and it seems so fast that I can't see how there
could possibly be time to make any decisions associated with catching
it.

And of course stress is almost entirely a product of letting time get
the best of us.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Flying Machine - http://pad39a.com/gene/
Because we fly, we envy no one.

"Dudley Henriques" dhenriques@noware .net wrote in message
link.net...
Serious answer this time.
I heard this discussed one night long ago at a dinner meeting with some race car drivers at a show I was doing .
I remember them saying it was a well known phenom, usually brought on by unusually high stress or extremely high
performance levels. I have no idea where or how to research it, but I personally believe I experienced it at least
once during a high school track meet where I was competing in the hundred. It happened near the finish line as I was
in a dead heat with the guy in the left lane next to me. I was straining and reaching for the stride. Suddenly,
everything seemed to fit into place somehow. My mind was suddenly as clear as a crystal bell. Everything slowed down
and my running become effortless.
Anyway, I won the heat, but lost the final :-)
It never happened to me during my tenure in aviation, and I spent most of that in a high stress environment to say the
least.
Dudley Henriques


I think some folks call it being 'in the zone'...