- Set meaningful and realistic goals that are your own, not others.
- Your goals do not have to relate to competition.
- You will have great workouts and lousy workouts; accept both as good training and experience for the race.
- Challenge your limiting beliefs about what you can do, and understand they are simply preconceived restrictions taught to you by the outside world. The more distressed and tired you are, the more you believe what you think, particularly the negative thoughts. The mistake is in believing everything you think.
- When the internal critic arrives:
- Try focusing on runners around you; the scenery; the colors around you; what you feel, hear and smell; the weather; the terrain; your family and friends; the spectators.
- Make small adjustments in stride length, arm swing, knee lift, foot plant, breathing and speed. Small changes can yield improvements in perceived effort.
- When you are training, think about the race often. Visualize you are doing well during the race and learn to be patient when you are not doing well. Visualize and imagine different temperatures, wind, rain, runners around you, and going uphill and downhill. Imaging what your senses will experience and what your mind will be telling you. Your mind does not distinguish between real or imagined practice. Our brain can control our biochemistry. Relaxation, visualization and affirmation can be practiced and learned.
- Learn to be relaxed, both mind and body. Relaxed muscles are more fluid, burn less energy, feel less fatigue and lowers lactic acid. Fighting or being angry with fatigue does not work as it causes more tension and frustration. Concentration and ability to focus are also better when relaxed. This leads to “trying easier”. What we think can have an impact on how your muscles feel and your perception of fatigue.