I am the first to admit that I can be my own worst enemy especially on race day. For years I allowed myself to get into my own head and derail my own best efforts. This year, one of my goals was to work on changing this in the hopes of having some better race experiences. I’m pleased to say that I’ve found a few strategies that have helped me rewrite my mental dialogue and achieve a PR in my mental Race Strategies.
Achieving a PR In My Mental Race Strategies
Countering Negative Thinking
A few months back, I kept a daily record of negative thoughts pertaining to my training and eating habits. I was really surprised by how often I had negative thoughts and how easily I could allow them to effect my performance. For a weeks, I wrote down counter thoughts to this negative self talk. After about a month, a funny thing happened, I noticed a drastic decrease in the negative thinking and much better performance in my workouts. Sure, I still have my bad days, but overall I am able to fight these thoughts more.
Writing Out Race Day Plans
For my triathlon last month, I wrote out a detailed race day plan and rehearsed it over and over again in my head the days before the race. I imagined every aspect of race day from waking up, to eating breakfast, to swimming, biking and running through the finish. Rehearsing my race day in detail took away so much of the race day anxiety and uncertainty. This is a mental strategy I will be employing from now on.
Running Mantra
Up until recently, I never really got the whole “running mantra” thing. I polled my running group friends and even wrote a whole post about my search for mantra. I was curious as to which mantras helped motivate others. Finally, on a particularly hard bike ride, it came to me. I found myself repeating the mantra “don’t stop when you’re tired, stop when you’re done”. There it was! I found my mantra and it works. No one was more surprised than I was.
You would think as a former psychotherapist, I would have realized long ago how implementing a few simple mental strategies could drastically change my internal dialogue. Like anyone who enters “therapy”, I needed to be at the right time in my life to be open to benefiting from them. These 3 Mental Race Strategies were key in helping me achieve that 8 minute PR a few weeks ago. I plan to keep working on them and myself.
Tell me, what mental race strategies do you use?
Linking up
I used to tell myself that the faster I ran, the faster it would be over with. LOL! Maybe not the best strategy, but it worked for me. That counts as a mantra, no?
I think it counts if it works for you
Your race day plan was so well thought out. Im sure it was really helpful! And counteracting negative thoughts is tough but can really go a long way.
So tough but it’s been helping me a lot lately
Preparing for the wall and pre-empting it always helps me. Fuel a little bit earlier, and try to save your music for as late as possible when you might need it!
I am never prepared for the wall!
Ohhh how it is all a mental game!! Glad you found some things that work for you! Visualizing stuff is good for me.
I am finding it really helpful too
I’ll admit that sometimes I let my negative thoughts affect a run or a race. I’m really working hard to change this. I’ve been using a lot of mantras lately and those have helped me stay positive while running, even if I’m feeling tired.
I was amazed at how often I let negative thoughts come in. Tracking them for a few weeks was eye opening
Did you ever read The Runner’s Brain?
(I reviewed it here http://got2run4me.com/2015/10/19/how-to-train-your-brain-for-better-running/ )
It really got me thinking (!!) about different approaches to race day. I can psych myself out so easily. The hardest part is staying positive when things are going as planned.
I have not read it but I hear it’s good. You would think after studying all of this in grad school I would be able to avoid it. not so easy sometimes when as you say things don’t go as planned
Great tips! It really is very mental and envisioning that PR really does help!
So mental for me I can really get in my own head
I love that race day plan you did for your tri. I’ve never gone into a race with a mantra either. But in a couple of cases when I had to dig really deep, I found one!
It’s funny how you just find a mantra when you are not really looking for it
Awesome tips. Thanks for sharing! Strengthening our mental health is the best way to enhance our performance!
It’s really helped me a lot lately too
Mental toughness training is something I work on– probably more than physical training! Having a mantra has really helped me. Right now it’s “finishing is winning “.
I really like that mantra and how true it is
Tracking negative thoughts for a few days is a clever idea. Being positive is so important not only for races but for life! I may have to try that. I like to visualize crossing the finish line. Preparing mentally is just as important as the physical training!
Tracking negative ideas was so interesting give it a try!
The mental side of things is SO KEY.
I’ve had races fall apart when I’ve been trained, but my brain has been ‘off’.
Oh definitely me too!
I am all about the positive race mantras! I tend to go with simple, motivating ones during a race like “yes you can”, “you are strong, confident, and capable” etc. Totally agree on the benefits of staying positive!
Ever since I was young running high school cross country my dad would always say go to bed dreaming about the exact race you want to have and think about when it gets tough all the things your going to do to get through it and replay it in your mind until both the mind and body believe it.
I still do that to this dat, even with training runs. Mental preparation is sometimes even more important that physical. The mind is powerful if you believe you can do something you can, if you don’t believe then the race is already set up for failure.
Great post. Mental preparation is something every runner needs to constantly practice and employ in their training and races for sure!!
I just try to keep my head in a positive mental state. Telling myself if I run quicker I’m done quicker, or having an end game goal.
This is a great post! I’m overly negative on race day myself, so this is perfect for me. My strategies…I don’t know that I have many, honestly. Just to remind myself of all the training I have accomplished that got me to race day, and that obviously I can do it.
Isn’t it great when something just pops into your head (assuming you actually remember it, of course!).
I like my Believe Journal for writing down a race day plan. It definitely helps!
I have to get better about my negative thoughts. They can derail me so quickly, and I let them get to me.
This is all great advice.
I still have lots of work to do on mine but I am definitely paying more attention to them now
The mind is a powerful thing! I love this idea for a race goal!
The mind can be so powerful!
I like your visualization approach by writing down every aspect of race morning to reduce anxiety. I’ve never done visualization before and I think it would help me as well!
I was surprised how much it did help hope you give it a try
I think negative thoughts are so disabling! And so easy to fall into the habit. Good for you for finding a way to counteract those negative thoughts!
So easy to fall into it for sure!
I don’t have any “one” particular mantra, but I do go in phases with them. Currently, I find myself repeating “sustain” when I’m in a tough (mental/physical) spot on a course or in a run. It helps me to just simply keep going…not necessarily “powering through” the moment, but certainly not giving up either.
that is a good word to focus on too thanks for sharing
I nevery thought of writing down race day plans. I surely think about it enough but never written. That’s a good one.
Writing them down really helped me a ton I will be doing it again
These are great strategies. I use them, too.
Had no idea you were a psychotherapist! What a fascinating job.
It seems like a lifetime ago but yes I was
I’m right there with you. I’m my own worst enemy and it’s something that I constantly need to work on. I need to pour on the positive self talk to really flip the switch for me to battle through. Great tips for sure!
You know we all put so much pressure on ourselves it is easy to fall into negative thinking
Writing out plans is a great way to mentally prepare! I always feel a little better when I journal before a big event 🙂
I could be better at consistent journaling for sure
My mental game has been in the dumps lately ):
It’s something you really have to keep working on all the time don’t you think?
Great story! I like how you were able to find something that worked for you and were willing to share it. I get so excited race day with all the people and my outfit and all the hoopla that I really have to trust my training. I liked your race day plan and am going to try and use it for my next race- wish me luck 🙂
I am curious to hear how it works for you! You seem like you stay pretty go with the flow and stress free and I really admire that about you
Luckily, I really don’t get the mental block that so many runners experience. I’m more of a walker/runner and my only goal ever is to finish. I just love the experience of a race. Writing out those negative thoughts and then turning them into positives is a great idea…and I love your mantra!
Thanks so much it is certainly something I will keep working on
These are all great startegies. I am blessed with mental strength. I have some mantras like “what does’t kill me makes me stronger”, but I just hate not achiving and finishing something I started. So mentally I can push through most anything.
That is a fabulous skill to have!
I relate to hard to the first paragraph of this post. When it comes to race day mental strategies, I am my own worst enemy. It’s definitely something I need to work on. Thanks for sharing these tips! I am definitely going to use a mantra for my half marathon on Saturday 🙂
I wish you luck and hope it helps you this weekend
What a great idea to write out a race day plan! I’ll have to keep that in mind for my next big race. My mental game needs some work, but I’m finding mantras and visualization help.
They do help for sure