Mental aspects of running

How much of what runners achieve is determined by the mind? Who knows what percentage of athletic success is mental ability?

Good running psychology or mental edge comes from focus, confidence, and concentration. Exercising the body is only one part of success - you also can and should exercise your mind.Consider the following techniques to help you achieve that mental strength:

Think positively
When you train, visualize yourself achieving the goal, whether it be losing weight or running a good time in a race. Close your eyes and see yourself through each step on the way to your goal. The more you think positively, the more confidence you'll have and the better prepared you'll be to succeed.

Concentrate
Block out distracting details when you run. Training and racing are not times to think about tomorrow's appointments. For example, saying hello to someone in the middle of a serious race isn't important. You can say hello before or after, but during the event you should be mentally focused on your goal!

Get the feeling
The feeling is that sense of being "on" or of being completely ready, it's what many would call "runners high". Try to recapture the feeling from a good workout or race. Watch runners finish a race - those who have won, or achieved their goals raise their arms, punch the air, or even shout for joy, triumphant with the feeling.

Plan and study
As you condition your body, strive also to understand the running - from training principles to competition. Read books, talk to your coach, keep a training diary and attend clinics to learn how to understand your running. Experience it - running and racing will best help you determine your individual needs and goals.

Relax
When you are too uptight for a race, no matter how well trained you are, you won't run your best. To run well, you have got to be relaxed. Tension causes your muscles to contract, so before a race or hard effort, relax. Take slow, rhythmic breaths, jog slowly, shake out your limbs, and roll your head. Practice your own personal form of meditation and centering.
There are a lot of people who put in hours and hours of quality physical training sessions but miss out the all-important 'psychological training' - these people are selling themselves short! Why put in hours of physical conditioning if you're not going to give yourself 100% chance of success anyway by missing out the mental side?

It's frightening for a lot of people to make the maximum effort and then fail. You will realize that by striving and giving it all, but perhaps falling a bit short, is going to help you more than never having taken that risk.

Psychological skills are simply one of those pieces to the competition puzzle - and like physical and technical skills they need to be taught correctly, fine tuned by the athlete and coach and then practiced regularly. The real contest is in the mind.

Additional Note: A suggestion for you all… get the book by Dean Karnazes "Ultra marathon Man" - it's a fascinating and inspirational story about a runner who has been pushing himself beyond the limits. "I run because walking takes too long, and I'd like to get a few things done in this lifetime" - Dean Karnazes in the Ultra marathon man.

About the author of this blog post
Coach Barbara from Endurancecoach.com is a qualified Personal Trainer & Triathlon Coach, having come from a varied background in sport. She discovered triathlon upon her arrival in New Zealand in 1999, since then she hasn't looked back, competing in a mixture of races. So far she has completed Half IM Tauranga 2003, 2005; Whangamata Marathon 2003; Lake Taupo 160km 2003, 2004; Half IM Taupo 2003 and IM New Zealand 2004. At present Barbara is completing a Diploma in Sport Studies with Otago University.

Endurancecoach.com believes that every athlete is different and therefore needs a training program geared specifically to their personal ability, taking into account any weaknesses, time available and circumstances. Endurancecoach.com offers a variety of services ranging from one-on-one coaching to training plans for specific events and races. Visit Endurancecoach.com for more information or if you are looking for world leading coaches to assist you, e-mail Endurancecoach.com at info@endurancecoach.com.

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