Long before a race, specifically a marathon for me, I start training my mind along with my body. It is equally important. On those tough days when you want to quit or your mind is swirling with a lot of negative chatter, it is the perfect time to start the visualization process. Before any race/marathon I always start visualizing the course and finishing strong as I tell myself power words and/or sentences. My favorites when I am going for a PR are "I want it!" and "This is not easy, but it is worth it".
When you are training and start thinking of your race and what it means to you, your own power words will appear. You love to run, it is a wonderful cause, and you are a strong runner who can do it just like everyone else! The more you think of these "power phrases" during your training, the better you will feel during your race when you start pulling them out. They take you back in time to your training and how you survived that brutal 18 miler by reminding yourself that you deserve to run your best. They get you through aches and pains, bad run days, burnout, and the big one...FEAR of failing.
Learning to zone in on what your mind needs during your run to stay focused will get you through that inevitable bad patch you encounter and will fight off the negative chatter in your mind when the aches and pains begin. When I find myself losing focus on a training run, immediately I start visualizing the race course along with the cheering crowd. I tell myself to "go get it" and see myself running strong...passing landmarks....checking my garmin...and before you know it, your are back on track. It is a wonderful thing to tap into during your race because even if you have the worse nerves ever, you can tap in to your training runs and how you finished them strong.
My last race, which I PR'd by 14 minutes happened because (1) I was thinking of the cause (breast cancer) and all the women it has affected (2) I had visualized finishing strong (3) and most important, I pulled out my power phrase the last few miles which was "trust your training".
If you are training for a fall half or full marathon, think about why you are doing it. On your runs, start thinking of the course and the balloons at the end. You are strong and will do it. Visualize the finish line....screaming crowds...friends and family that are there and so proud of you.....the medal around your neck. Whatever is meaningful, focus on that now and it will carry you through. Believe in yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
