You may not be back to racing quite yet, but you鈥檙e likely starting to train for a fall goal. Whether it鈥檚 your first time prepping for a race or your first time back at hard practice after a break, it鈥檚 time to train your mind as well as your body. As coach Tom Brumlik will tell you, 鈥淭he mind leads the body.鈥 That means putting in the work to get your brain tuned up along with your body. Here鈥檚 how.
Tap into the Power of Affirmations
In order to set a baseline聽of positivity across all aspects of life, not just training,聽Brumlik recommends practicing positive self-talk. 鈥淚鈥檓 big on affirmations,鈥 he says, short complete sentences you can state anytime. 鈥淚 tell my athletes to practice 鈥業 am鈥 statements throughout the day, even when they鈥檙e not training or racing.鈥 For instance, if you鈥檙e in the first stages of a giant project at work and feeling overwhelmed by how much of it lies ahead, tell yourself, 鈥淚 am on my way.鈥 When your alarm goes off at 0-dark-30 for a run, say, 鈥淚 am a morning person.鈥澛燱hatever the case may be, it鈥檚 the practice of 鈥淚 am鈥 statements that leads to the gains. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 pull them out on race day alone,鈥 says Brumlik. 鈥淭he practice has to be .鈥
And Develop Some Mantras Too
In addition to finding some all-purpose affirmations that can apply to all facets of your life, you鈥檒l also want to have some shorter, more running-specific mantras in your mental toolkit.聽Any training session or race can feel like a roller coaster, with highs and lows, twists and turns. One minute you鈥檙e feeling great, flying through the intervals, and the next you鈥檙e facing the biggest, steepest climb of your life. Knowing and embracing that fact鈥攁nd having an automatic response鈥攚ill help you push through.
Research shows that when you repeat a mantra whenever you hit a challenge, it can give you a mental and physical boost. The wording can be anything that reliably lifts your spirits.聽Think along the lines of 鈥淚 am strong鈥 or 鈥淚鈥檝e got this,鈥 for instance. Or repeat something that relates to the act of running, like 鈥淪wift and smooth,鈥 鈥淟ight and fast,鈥 or 鈥淚 eat hills.鈥 Other options include 鈥淟ight it up鈥 or 鈥淕o for it.鈥 Whatever serves to motivate you, used on repeat, is what will get you through.
Focus on Your Breathing
You can put your breathing to use in a variety of racing and training scenarios.聽鈥淚 like to use breathing before a race or hard workout to calm my nerves,鈥 says Brumlik. 鈥淵ou can also use it to relax and smooth things out during a race.鈥 The quality of your breathing in the midst of a hard workout or race can also serve as a good indicator of your effort level. If you鈥檙e in the first mile of a race and find yourself breathing hard, it鈥檚 time to dial things back so you have something left for the end. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very common to go out too hard, so pay attention to your breathing rate and breathe slowly and deeply to slow yourself down if needed,鈥 Brumlik recommends. There are more than just physical upsides to聽using your breath as a barometer, as Brumlik suggests:聽in doing so, you’re practicing mindfulness which can help you create focus, foster calmness, and, most importantly, reinforce that you are in control of your run.
Count Your Steps
If you find yourself in the pain cave during a workout, mentally settle into your cadence to take your mind away from the challenge. Have a look at the app to find your perfect cadence and then focus on the rhythm of your feet. Before long, you鈥檒l forget the pain and fall into an easier, more efficient stride. 鈥淭hink about light, quick steps, which will help your mechanics,鈥 says Brumlik. 鈥淭hink about driving your arms back and your foot straight down to get the most out of your stride.鈥 Building mental skills is all about developing a positive mindset, says Brumlik. 鈥淩unning can be a challenging sport,鈥 he says. 鈥淪tay away from words like 鈥業 can鈥檛鈥 and instead focus on positive practices until they become habit.鈥
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