Mental toughness, like physical toughness, requires that you exercise. Learning to strengthen your mind, improving your concentration, and staying calm will take some work, but you can get the basic skills you need to stay strong of mind.You may have heard the expression, “a marathon is 90% mental and the other half is physical.” Oh, you haven’t? Sorry, that is a mutation of an old Yogi Berra baseball mantra, but you get the idea. Running at any distance is a combination of physical and mental fitness. All athletes should be focused not only on increasing their endurance and speed, but also on improving mental toughness.
So how does a runner go about improving mental toughness? In many ways, race training itself helps. As training progresses, and distances get longer, speed workouts faster, you will naturally begin to build that element of mental toughness and tenacity. Running can be hard, and overcoming the challenges will make you mentally stronger.
But what if the training itself becomes overwhelming? The concept of running 26.2 or 13.1 miles at some point can seem enormous, as can the idea of setting your 5k PR or finishing a 50k. How can you develop the mental toughness required to train for a marathon, let alone complete one?
Don’t worry. You can do it. Here are some tips that will help you develop strategies and habits to improve mental toughness.Breathe
Seriously. Relax. Breathe deeply. Take a calming breath. Controlling your breathing will help you control your stress. Reducing your stress will allow you to take control over your run.Visualize
I always have my runners visualize success. Seeing yourself cross that finish line in your mind is empowering. But to really use the power of visualization, you must go beyond the finish line. Take at least five minutes before each run, especially those that challenge you. Travel your course in your mind. Focus not just on finishing, but on what your challenges will be to get to the finish.
Mantra, Creating a mantra for yourself can help you push yourself through tough times during the run.
Positive Attitude
It can be easy to fall into negative thoughts when a run gets tough. Ironically, I have found myself doing this on one of my favorite running routes. I call it Around the Cove, and it’s basically a seven-mile loop around my neighborhood. I have praised this route on Instagram several times.
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