I ran 20+ races last year (and in the teens for the last 15 years or so), but I still find the first race of the year to be (mentally) challenging. “What if my ‘age 40 mojo’ is gone?” “What if I bonk?” “What if it just seems hard and not fun?” “What if I am slower than last year?”
I found this awesome list at Runner’s World online. Check out #7 “Brain Drain” of “Big 7 Body Breakdowns” (and the other 6 are useful for common issues and injuries, too!) I am using the advice to help me manage potential mental “breakdowns” and plan for success:
Brain Drain: The Big 5 Mental Breakdowns
MENTAL BREAKDOWN #1: Seeking perfection
If you aim to make every workout perfect, you end up spending valuable time and energy recovering from the inevitable disappointment. Learn to view a few off days as part of the training process, or a lousy run or race as a learning experience, says Stan Beecham, Psy.D., a sports psychologist in Roswell, Georgia.
MENTAL BREAKDOWN #2: Caring too much
Some runners never feel good about themselves, no matter how well they run. “I remind athletes that running is something they do, not who they are,” he says. Once you untie yourself from your performance, you release mental energy that can be directed to running.
MENTAL BREAKDOWN #3: Stressing out
Is the weather too cold? Too hot? Are the lines at the porta-potties too long? Don’t stress over things you can’t control. “Your performance is based on your training, not on external items,” he says.
MENTAL BREAKDOWN #4: Poor goal setting
Performing at your highest level requires risk-taking and pushing yourself outside your comfort level. “A lot of runners underestimate themselves,” Beecham says. “They say: ‘I can cut five minutes from my time.’ I say: ‘How about 10 minutes?’” Don’t go crazy, but push yourself.
MENTAL BREAKDOWN #5: Not focusing
If you approach a race as a run or with a let’s-see-what-happens attitude, you risk not meeting your goal. “You have to engage mentally,” Beecham says. Set small goals, such as staying with the runner in front of you. Try it, he says, and you’ll likely find the race goes by faster than expected. Your time just might be faster, too.
—MICHELLE HAMILTON
Good advice! Here goes nothing! Do you have irrational fears if you haven’t raced in a while? What do you do to keep your head in the game?