Mentally Fit for the MARATHON Training the MIND to race your best!

You’re a marathoner?!?! How far is that marathon? How far is that marathon? Are you going to run in the Olympics? Are you going to run in the Olympics? You mean you run the whole way without sitting down to rest? You mean you run the whole way without sitting down to rest? My brother in-law ran a marathon. You know him? My brother in-law ran a marathon. You know him?

Learn to Train Your Mental Skills Mental skills are learned Mental skills must be practiced Mental Training should be a part of your overall training program

Take Responsibility for how you think! The way you think is under your control. Many things in running you can’t control. How you think is up to YOU!!!!!!!

What is Mental Toughness? Emotional Flexibility-can deal with unexpected situations and bring positive emotions when needed. Emotional Flexibility-can deal with unexpected situations and bring positive emotions when needed. Emotional Responsiveness-the ability to remain emotionally stable under pressure. Control your thinking and emotions. Focus on the task. Emotional Responsiveness-the ability to remain emotionally stable under pressure. Control your thinking and emotions. Focus on the task. Emotional Strength-give 100% in pressure situations. Don’t fear failure. Can perform under duress. Emotional Strength-give 100% in pressure situations. Don’t fear failure. Can perform under duress. Emotional Resiliency-can bounce back from mistakes and disappointment. Emotional Resiliency-can bounce back from mistakes and disappointment.

Commit to the Battle BEFORE it Begins!!!! Make the decision to invest yourself 100% in your preparation. “Champions are not made on the track or road. Champions are made from deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision, a goal.” Make the decision to invest yourself 100% in your preparation. “Champions are not made on the track or road. Champions are made from deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision, a goal.” If you only give 80%, then 20% of you is saying its ok not to be prepared. If you only give 80%, then 20% of you is saying its ok not to be prepared. It’s up to you to make an individual commitment to be strong mentally. Accept the challenge. It’s up to you to make an individual commitment to be strong mentally. Accept the challenge.

PROCESS leads to PRODUCT

TRUST Your Training!!! You’re getting close to race day! You’re getting close to race day! You have great coaches! You have great coaches! You have stayed with the program! You have stayed with the program! Your “hay is in the barn”! Your “hay is in the barn”! Keep with the process to get the product! Keep with the process to get the product! Go with what you have and trust! Go with what you have and trust!

Anxious? Nervous? Can’t stand it?

Use ANXIETY to your ADVANTAGE!!! Being nervous before a race is normal. Bigger concern would be not being nervous. Being nervous before a race is normal. Bigger concern would be not being nervous. You know the feeling….. Jittery, dry mouth, can’t concentrate, frequent urination, muscle tremors. You know the feeling….. Jittery, dry mouth, can’t concentrate, frequent urination, muscle tremors. The are symptoms of physiological arousal from the “fight or flight” response. Sign you are READY for physical action! The are symptoms of physiological arousal from the “fight or flight” response. Sign you are READY for physical action! Learn to interpret pre-race anxiety as positive! Learn to interpret pre-race anxiety as positive!

Find your optimal level of anxiety!

Anxiety in the days leading up to the race. Normal but can lead to sleep disturbances and wasted energy. Normal but can lead to sleep disturbances and wasted energy. Work on learning how to control your emotions even in the days leading up to a race. Work on learning how to control your emotions even in the days leading up to a race. So just how do get to your optimal level of anxiety and just how can you control your emotions? Need some mental tools!!! So just how do get to your optimal level of anxiety and just how can you control your emotions? Need some mental tools!!!

So just why do you get anxious before a race? It’s your interpretation of a threat to your ego that’s triggers the stress response. It’s your interpretation of a threat to your ego that’s triggers the stress response. In reality it’s your thinking that that leads to your anxiety. In reality it’s your thinking that that leads to your anxiety. Pressure? It’s your interpretation that’s causing the pressure. Pressure? It’s your interpretation that’s causing the pressure. To change how you feel you need to change your thinking! To change how you feel you need to change your thinking!

SELF-TALK Negative self-talk leads to negative emotions, anxiety and wasted energy. Negative self-talk leads to negative emotions, anxiety and wasted energy. Do you recognize negative self-talk? The first step to change it is to become aware of it. Do you recognize negative self-talk? The first step to change it is to become aware of it. Practice positive, confidence building self-talk everyday in your training and day to day activities. Practice positive, confidence building self-talk everyday in your training and day to day activities. “I feel strong”, “I can do this because I’m well prepared”, “I love how it feels to run hard”. “I feel strong”, “I can do this because I’m well prepared”, “I love how it feels to run hard”.

CAN’T doesn’t exist. It’s simply not in your dictionary. CAN’T doesn’t exist. It’s simply not in your dictionary. Think energetically before and during your race. Think energetically before and during your race. Positive self-talk means positive emotions and energy. It helps to control your anxiety. Positive self-talk means positive emotions and energy. It helps to control your anxiety. You feel like you think. You feel like you think. Don’t waste your energy thinking about things you can’t control, like your competitors. It simply creates negative self-talk and worry. Don’t waste your energy thinking about things you can’t control, like your competitors. It simply creates negative self-talk and worry.

USE POSITIVE MENTAL IMAGERY “Winners see what they want to happen. Losers see what they are afraid might happen”.

Keys to Positive Imagery Visualize being successful in the race. Bring in “feel”. Visualize when relaxing with music. Visualize being successful in at difficult points in the race. Make it a part of your pre-race routine.

Learn to stay in the PRESENT “ During battle thinking about the future lets fear beat you; thinking about the past will let anger and frustration beat you.” MINDFULNESS!!!!!

Does no good to think how you “might” feel the next mile, in 3 miles etc. Does no good to think how you “might” feel the next mile, in 3 miles etc. Surest sign you are not in the present is negative self-talk. Surest sign you are not in the present is negative self-talk. Practice re-focusing in training. Practice re-focusing in training. The future is “right now”. The future is “right now”. Associated with the FLOW STATE. Associated with the FLOW STATE.

Distance Concentration Long distance races produce physical fatigue, but even more mental fatigue because of the concentration required. You will be mentally tired after a long race, especially if you stay in the present.

Concentration will resemble a FUNNEL. Broad early in the race, narrow late in the race. Early in the race remind yourself to relax! Conserve and manage your energy. Dissociate early, associate more later.

Late in the race perceived exertion will increase requiring a narrowing of concentration to maintain pace. Practice this type of concentration in your training.

CONFIDENCE IS YOUR CHOICE

TRUST Trust your training! Before a race it’s too late to worry about your training. You are as ready as you can be in that moment. Train hard, then trust yourself. Trust your training! Before a race it’s too late to worry about your training. You are as ready as you can be in that moment. Train hard, then trust yourself. When you trust your training you are free to let the race happen instead of forcing it to happen. When you trust your training you are free to let the race happen instead of forcing it to happen. TRUST=CONFIDENCE TRUST=CONFIDENCE

Never Fear Failure You are human and you will have some poor performances, poor training runs etc. You are human and you will have some poor performances, poor training runs etc. Learn from failures and then let them go. Don’t let negatives hang around in your brain. Learn from failures and then let them go. Don’t let negatives hang around in your brain. Courage is really about not fearing failure. Courage is really about not fearing failure. Fear of failure saps motivation. Keeps you from reaching your potential. Fear of failure saps motivation. Keeps you from reaching your potential. You never fail. Either you succeed or learn for the future. You never fail. Either you succeed or learn for the future.

Face Your Fears Envision what you want to be. Envision what you want to be. Know consequences of staying where you are. Get out of the comfort zone. Know consequences of staying where you are. Get out of the comfort zone. Believe. Being great is an attitude. Believe. Being great is an attitude. Step by step, just keeping moving forward. Step by step, just keeping moving forward. Failure is possible and necessary. “Failures are stepping stones that slowing uncover the correct path forward one slippery step at a time”. Failure is possible and necessary. “Failures are stepping stones that slowing uncover the correct path forward one slippery step at a time”.

Dare to DREAM!!!! All great things begin with someone’s vision. Don’t ever let someone set limits on you. But, “you don’t reap where you don’t sow” Hard work!!!! Train hard and chase your dreams!

Tell yourself each DAY….. I will not surrender. I will not surrender. I will not turn against myself when things get tough. Learn to be your biggest supporter. I will not turn against myself when things get tough. Learn to be your biggest supporter. I will be excited about running everyday. I have a gift. I will be excited about running everyday. I have a gift. I never show weakness on the outside. I never show weakness on the outside. The tougher and tighter the race the race the more I will love it. Turn negatives to positives! The tougher and tighter the race the race the more I will love it. Turn negatives to positives!

To be a CHAMPION you must first think like a CHAMPION!