Mental Toughness
This is tough, I am tougher!
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Mental Strategies for Racing "This is Tough But I am Tougher"
Everyone gets nervous before an event. It is normal to feel anxious and scared. We all freak out about an injury that we have been managing for about two months, or fear of not being able to perform, worried they you may injure yourself, freeze to death, fall off a mountain, trip over break an arm, worried you'll have gastro for 30km, when will my asthma start?
The fear of not being in control is the scary part of managing those emotions that will be the difference to a fantastic successful race full of fun and enjoyment like a party ultra party or a sad, negative experience.
We train our Butts Off to Race, but how often do we train our minds?
Tip - First Up - I give up Coffee Two Weeks Prior to an event.
WTF !!!
Then put it in on race day. If you can do this it WILL feel like an ultra party for 100-160km!
My Top 10 Mental Strategies and Training Techniques;
1. Visualisation, The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.
Dare to Dream, Dare to Believe.
I think it; then it can come true.
Visualisation can have a powerful tool to help you obtain your sporting success. Visualisation involves mental rehearsing of the upcoming event. I usually start visualising positive outcomes for a race when I hit the Taper and in Training in my long runs on challenging hill climbs or when my training run replicates my upcoming race. I lay down when I go to bed at night, and I run through the upcoming event. I also problem-solve during this process and make sure I have all my race kit, medications, hydration, and fueling organised.
2. Positive Self Talk is internal dialog.
"This event is Tough but I am Tougher". Have this thought ready to pop into your head when you are hurting. Prepare some phrases ready to go, and make sure you remember to smile to yourself after you say it. This will also help make you feel better. Here are some examples;
Thought - "This is Tough." - Your answer "But I am Tougher". - Smile
Thought - "F this Climb" - Your answer - "I love this Climb". - Smile
Thought - "I'm hurting" - Your answer "Then they must be hurting too, we are all in this together". Sending out love, empathy, and compassion for your fellow competitor will help relieve your pain. - Smile.
Showing compassion and empathy for your fellow competitor will enhance both your trail running experience, you will both triumph over common adversity and share the remarkable achievement together.
Remember you survive an ultra first, then you race it to the finish line.
3. Write Positive Slogans On Your Hands.
I'm known for covering myself in positive self-talk. I am easily distracted, and I need to be reminded that I am here to race and compete. I need to focus on myself.
Some of my favourites are slogans are;
"Finishing is the Only Option".
"Fix your head and your body will follow".
"Go Get them Tiger".
"FOCUS"
Or a mantra that you repeat to yourself every time you climb.
"Strength, Love, Passion Drive."
It can be anything, but it has to be positive and it can't use the words "Don't" (For example "Don't Give Up" all you will hear is "Give Up"). It can even be different for each event, it is whatever is relevant to you at the time of each race. Remember we evolve into a different person after each ultra through our triumph over our struggles.
4. Positive Internal Affirmations - Be your own Cheer Squad when racing and training. Compliment your competitors too. You will hear it while you are encouraging them. It's a win-win!
I feel great.
I'm ahead of schedule.
Well Done, you made it up that climb.
You are over halfway, and you're on the home stretch now.
Be your own best cheer squad when you are racing and training.
5.Relaxation/Psyching.
Warm-up correctly with your running drills and range of motions exercises.
Treat the start of the race just like any other training session.
I like to isolate myself from the crowd and do my own warm-up and just run out a few nerves and make sure my lungs are warmed up.
While I do my warm-up, I also check over my gear from feet to head. I start at my laces, then socks, calf guards, shorts, singlet, amolin (lanolin) cream, pack, gloves, cap, look after my pre-race nutrition and hydration, medications.
I do this about 30-10 min before an event. I also make sure I go to the bathroom at this time also.
10 min before the event, I am ready to go.
Once I have everything sorted and I am ready to go, that is when I find my running mates and start chatting I find it very calming to my nerves.
6. Focusing and Monitoring.
The ability to concentrate on the task at hand and block out unnecessary stimuli. If your mind wanders, then you can drop off the pace.
Set your GPS Watch to remind you how fast you've gone every kilometer.
Write achievable splits for you to aim for. I write these on my arm or hand or in my Drop Bags.
Stay within the PRESENT Moment. Practice this while Training. I count out my tempo in my head constantly. 1-100, usually, this will get me to the top of most climbs in Australia, a large climb I keep repeating the 1-100 steps until I am at the top or say a mantra, like Strength, Love, Passion, Drive over and over again.
7. Mental Bargaining.
Make a deal with yourself to help you overcome barriers. You can have a bottle of
Champagne once you’ve finished this!
I have 10km to go. That's 5km 2x2.5km, or that's my favourite training run that I do every Wednesday. 14km to go that's the City2Surf, 8kms that's the Mother's Day Classic, 42km to go that's only a Marathon. 50km to go......I like running 50km, that's when I feel my best, after 50km.
Or it can be, you can walk when you get to that tree. I will run 20 walks 20 to the top of that hill. I'm running 100 Steps, and I am walking 20 steps.
You can have that special treat in your drop bag at the CP when you get there.
Break down your race into achievable distances. For instance, I will make it to the turnaround, and I'll make it to the checkpoint, and so on. I never think of the race as an entire 160km. I always break it down into smaller, manageable distances. Checkpoint to checkpoint, that's all I have to do.
An even smaller goal can be to focus on the ground in front of your feet. Keep your eyes here, you can manage this patch of dirt in front of your feet, that's all you have to do is focus on the ground in front of you, because you can achieve that small distance just in front of your feet.
8. External Affirmations.
Crowds!!!! I love a crowd. I love people. They boost my spirits.
Cheer on your competitors, give them a cheer, I'm sure they will provide you with one in return. I love out and backs or relay events when runners constantly pass me. I can cheer them on, and they will cheer me on too. "You looking strong" "Keep up the pace".
SMART Competitors will take these comments at face value and use them to augment any internal affirmations and positive self-talk. When we are weak, we will look for the negative in their praise. It is important to stay positive. They say I am looking strong. I must be strong.
9. Technique and Efficiently.
If you are hurting, take a step back from your goals and work on your running technique and say the following;
I will run to the top of this hill, concentrating on DRIVING MY KNEES Forward and UPWARDS. I will race these flats with my shoulders back and down, hands brushing my hips, landing on the mid to front of my feet, and kicking out the back with my ears over my hips.
In the end, if you run with a great technique, you will get to the finish line faster and with less chance of injury or fatigue. You will also make your next race better just by training the correct muscles when racing.
10. Reframing.
After a negative experience, there is a tendency to dwell on the negative. If you've missed your split, or you've lost a few positions, or you feel crap. Look at your race as a learning experience. Each race you do is an extremely TOUGH training session. Every race will make you stronger, tougher, smarter, more efficient, and experienced. Just look at this race as a stepping stone to your next event. You will only get better by racing more often. It is a huge learning curve. Races can be the best training sessions you will do in a year. Look at this race as an amazing opportunity to improve in safe and supported conditions.
