Mental Tips for Half and Full Marathon Running

No matter how much race experience they have, all runners get nervous before races and have pre-race moments when they start to doubt themselves, especially when it comes to half and full marathon running. Follow these mental tips for racing so you’re feeling confident and mentally tough from start to finish.

PRE-RACE TIPS:

Be prepared.

Getting ready for your race will help get your in race mode and hopefully reduce any pre-race anxiety you might be feeling. Have everything ready the night before the race. Lay out the clothes and sneakers you will be wearing. Attach your race number to your running top. Plan out what you’ll eat for a pre-race breakfast.

Gather everything you will need for the race: hydration, nutrition, accessories, a change of clothes for post-race, etc. When you wake up on race morning, your only focus should be the race, not where you put your running clothes.

Set a goal, but be flexible.

Think about what you hope to accomplish during the race. Are you hoping to finish the race? To run the race without walking? To beat a specific time? Set an achievable goal, but accept that on race day you may need to adapt that goal based on how your feel, the weather conditions or the course.

Sometimes it feels like the universe aligns on race day and it all goes perfectly. Other times, our goal need to be adjusted during the race, and that’s okay.

Practice visualization

Visualization is a form of mental practice that can help you get through challenging training sessions and help you visualize success on race day. By visualizing yourself running with speed, strength, and grace, you can create a mental blueprint for success.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself effortlessly gliding through each stride, crossing the finish line with a sense of accomplishment. Visualizing your success not only boosts your confidence but also helps train your mind to believe in your abilities.

RACE DAY TIPS:

Start the race at a slower pace.

Some runners get very excited and go out way too fast in the first few miles. Tell yourself to hold back and not burn through all your stored energy (including mental energy!) too quickly. You’ll be passing all those runners later on in the race!

Run your own race.

Even if you are running with family members, teammates, or friends, you need to run at your own pace and in a way in which you are comfortable. Focus on your goal and what you need to do to accomplish that. If that means slowing down while your race buddies are picking up the pace, so be it. Your only competition is yourself.

Break the race up into segments.

Divide the race into thirds, so it feels less overwhelming mentally. Run the first third at a slower pace than I would ultimately like to average for the race. During the middle third of the race, try to run at your goal pace. For the final third, push as much as you can. If you behave earlier in the race, you’ll have some kick left in you for the last few miles. That’s a great feeling.

Think positively.

Envision yourself crossing the finish line. Focus on what you’ve done well during the race. Remind yourself that you are prepared even if you are a bundle of nerves. Practice positive self-talk and, if a negative thought enters your mind, push it away.

If, and when, you hit some difficult points during the race, say a mantra, focus on the spectators, or distract yourself in whatever way you can.

Remind yourself what an incredible challenge you’re completing! The vast majority of people would never attempt to run a half or full marathon, let alone reach the finish line.

Go “fishing.”

When your legs really start to ache (and they probably will) towards the end of the race, try to go “fishing” and “reel” in other runners. Find a runner who is just ahead of you and try to catch up to them. Once you’ve passed that person, try it with someone else. Not only will this strategy help distract you, but it may even help you pick up your pace a bit.

Related: Mind Games for Racing

Enjoy yourself!

You’ve worked hard, trained hard and sacrificed a lot to be able to run your race. The race is the reward! Take some time to appreciate and celebrate your accomplishment.