Challenge Event Mindset: Get ready with our ten top tips
1 Get your language right
Our inner voice is what ultimately defines how we approach anything. What we say to ourselves at any given time will affect how we feel on the day. If your critical inner voice starts telling you that you aren't good enough, you won't be able to overcome your worries and concerns. That mental picture you create in your brain is dictated by your language: "I hope I don't hit the wall/ I hope I don't go too fast/slow." As a result, it’s important that we focus our words on how we wish to be. Talk about wanting to be confident, and relaxed; talk about enjoying the day. Use your voice in a positive way. As humans, we’re very good at talking in negatives to ourselves, less so the positives!
2 Visualise the right things
Imagining yourself reaching the finish line is only useful to a point. It's similar to an athlete imagining themselves winning a gold medal: it boosts confidence but doesn't help in the actual process. What you actually want to be able to imagine are the things that will lead you to the finish line. When we visualise being able to do something we are mentally rehearsing it. It also connects with the body; when we picture something, the same neurons in our brain activate as when we actually experience it. And we want to prepare our minds to deal with those situations.
3 Rename those emotions
What you call the emotion you are experiencing, can make a big difference. When you wake up on the day of the event and your heart rate is high, your palms are clammy, and your mind is rushing, you might begin to describe yourself as nervous. But, biologically, it is quite similar to feeling excited. So if you call it excitement, it becomes a positive thing since it provides you with energy and anticipation for the race. It is better to ride the wave rather than resist it.
4 Set small goals
Once you are running, don’t think too far ahead. A lot of people tend to do the first mile and think: “Argh! I’ve still got 12 miles to go!” And even if you are thinking positively, that doesn’t help because your mind goes out to the future. And what you want to be is in the zone. The zone is a present state. Even with the very top runners, if they start thinking “I’m going to win this” it can have a detrimental effect on performance because then they aren’t in the present.
The best way to stay in the moment is to set yourself small goals. People can work well to different lengths: a mile, a kilometre or just that lamppost in the distance. But that’s all you focus on: then you set another one. Then another one. And that makes a big difference because you are staying more in the moment than focusing on the distance, which is where all the anxiety is.
5 It’s all about the process, not the outcome
Successful people don’t actually think about success, they think about performing, about putting in a successful performance. Each person will have their own goal in mind. It could be a time, or just completing it, or maintaining running without having to walk for a certain time. The best way to get to that goal is to think about what you are doing in the moment – focus on the process rather than the outcome. That’s the only thing you are in control of at any moment. Focus on your rhythm, your movement, your breathing and those targets, those stepping stones nearby. One section at a time.
6 Block out the negative thoughts
It might be counting, a song in your head, or anything just to take you away from your inner voice. When you are struggling, your inner voice starts to go against you rather than with you. So, a song in your head, something nice and upbeat, which reflects your running rhythm, can be extremely powerful. Some people might find that annoying and just try counting 10 steps at a time. Anything to get you away from that internal dialogue.
7 Look up, and look around
People tend to look down at the ground when they are running. That’s unhelpful in various ways – one is that we tend to internalise when we look down. We tend to talk to ourselves more, and feel more pain when we look down. Look up, and instead of staring at things, try to use your peripheral vision. When you use your peripheral vision you go into a kind of light trance, the zone state. So you feel less discomfort. If you are using your peripheral vision, it’s also much harder to feel stress. You actually have to look for it.
8 Put a smile on your face
You notice this a lot on social media – people talking about loving the training, posting their mileage on Facebook, and saying how they love running. But then they get to the race itself and are feeling worried, and they don’t perform the same. They think they have to feel and act differently because it’s an event – to take it more seriously. But actually, we are less capable when we take things more seriously than when we are having fun. When we are happy we are more energised. So we are actually better running with a big smile on our faces.
9 Think of it as a stepping stone, not the end goal
If the half marathon is your end goal it can be a problem – whether it’s a good or bad day. What happens afterwards? You get this at the top level too – people who want to win the gold medal or a particular tournament because it has been their life’s dream. They achieve it – and then quite often people don’t achieve very much after that, because they haven’t set anything up for afterwards. So set a goal for afterwards, even if it’s just a small fun run. Then your relay or half marathon becomes a stepping stone in itself and you have something to move on afterwards can really help. And it means all that training you’ve done isn’t just for one thing. That gives meaning to your run whether it goes well or not. And there are plenty of events going on locally and further afield you can sign up for.
10 Remember what you have achieved
If the worst happens on the day and you have to pull out, or you are injured, try to think positively regardless. Focus on what you have achieved and not what you haven’t. Top performers look at these things as learning experiences. If you were going to do it again, what would you learn from that? What would you do differently? Then your mind starts looking for answers, the things you did right, and areas of improvement. And that fires the brain towards something rather than away from it.
If you look at all the things you do wrong you actually are mentally rehearsing your mistakes, which means you are more likely to repeat them. So you don’t go into denial on it, but you put your focus on solutions, not a problem.