Whether you’re training to run in your first marathon, or you’ve already run in several, you can comprehend the physical dedication and discipline necessary to run 26.2 miles. Marathon running introduces unique challenges, and therefore, is unquestionably one of the most demanding competitive events in which you can participate. As you train, have you fully considered the emotional, mental, and physical commitment requisite to running a marathon? Moreover, have you contemplated how to attack these areas during both the training and race-day competition phases? Regardless of your personal answers to these questions, this article will prepare you for the motivational issues that are essential for marathon success, as well as the fundamental processes that determine success and/or failure in marathon running.
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When training for a marathon you not only need to train your body, but you must also train your mind. You need to be mentally prepared for what may, and will, lie ahead of you: the long runs, feeling pain, self doubt, race-day, and post race-day. Although you may only be a few weeks into your training, and possibly have never run more than a few miles in your life, with the help of mental training strategies you will be able to achieve your goals and overcome any self doubt that you may have. Mental training strategies create personal control over what happens; it allows you to be in control.
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The initial stage of running a marathon deals with motivation and determination. It is evident that you are already motivated to some extent since you signed up to run the marathon, but now is the time to maintain your motivation. During the long and sometimes arduous training phase maintaining this motivation can be extremely challenging. Motivation needs to come from within each individual, it doesn’t help if someone else is motivated, you are the one that is training and thus you need to be motivated to do so. Paul Nicholls has provided a few statistics that we think will help you maintain that motivation. For instance, 99.785% of the people that start the marathon actually finish it. The key therefore is to continue training and get yourself to the starting line where, on the day of the marathon, there will be an estimated 38,000 people running with you, experiencing and feeling similar things as you. Additionally, there will be approximately 2,000,000 people lining the streets of New York cheering you on. The training and preparing for the marathon is certainly going to be the hardest part of the next few months, but when November 6 arrives and you are standing at the starting line, you will be both physically and mentally prepared for the fun, enjoyment, and sense of accomplishment to follow.
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In order to maintain this inner drive, it is of utmost importance to have a plan. This training plan should be individualized, and is often a good place to record specific goals, which will provide direction, feedback, and support to your training. Goal setting is necessary in order to achieve anything and it is important to set goals that are realistic for you, yet challenging. Goals are the backbone of motivation; they help you get through the tough times. The goals that you set should come in the form of both process goals and outcome goals. Process goals are synonymous with short-term objectives, while outcome goals relate to the ‘finished product.’ In regard to process goals, these types of goals involve activities that are centered on mastering the task and increasing your skill level (e.g., the knowledge and training required to complete a marathon). Examples of process goals may include reading about the marathon, consulting with individuals who have been through it, improving your nutrition, and getting an adequate amount of rest. Regarding outcome goals, these goals are related to what you hope to accomplish in the marathon…
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Examples of outcome goals may include maintaining a consistent pace or running your personal best in the marathon. In addition, you should break down your goals into smaller goals and thus aim to achieve them in small steps. For example as opposed to having a goal set to be able to run 26.2 miles, start by aiming to run 10 miles and when you accomplish that goal you may add to it and want to run 15 miles. If you break down your goals you will be able to measure your success in terms of your progress, as opposed to strictly winning or losing.
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An important aspect of achieving and doing anything is becoming aware of yourself and your belief system. You need to know and understand what you believe. The images you have in your mind, both positive and negative, how you see yourself and your abilities, create your personal reality. If you believe you are never going to be able to run more than 10 miles, you will inevitably create that self-reality, but if you believe that you can do it, then you will.. You need to have total belief in yourself. It doesn’t matter what other people think, it only matters what you think and believe; you can control how and what you think which then determines your experiences and actions by confirming your beliefs. Since you are the one in control of your beliefs you can change them so they work for you and inevitably change your reality to a positive one.
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An integral part of mental training is to be consciously aware of which beliefs work for you and which don’t, which limit you and which make you excel. Once you know this, you can change the negative thoughts and perceptions that you have into positive ones which will help you achieve your goals. One way to do this is to keep a log of your thoughts and beliefs. It would be helpful to include your thoughts and feelings before a run, while running, and after running. For each negative thought, or irrational belief, think of a way to change it into a positive one, change it to work for you, not against you. For instance, if you say to yourself “I am never going to be able to run 26.2 miles” you can change that irrational belief to say “I will get myself to the starting line and do the best that I can”. This is not only a more realistic statement, but it is also positive. Negative thoughts and perceptions don’t do you any good, they only get you down and stop you from achieving your personal goals.
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There are also several additional strategies for completing the training which have shown to be useful for marathon runners. The first strategy is one which you have all already accomplished, and that is to join a team or group whose members all share the same goal. Your fellow teammates can provide you with the needed emotional support to succeed, especially because enthusiastic and positive teammates can help to motivate and inspire you.
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Of equal importance, there are a few mental strategies that are worth employing during your training. The first is imagery, which is a form of ‘playing out’ in your mind how you hope to accomplish your outcome goals. By effectively using imagery, you can mentally simulate the marathon during your long training runs. In addition, you can teach yourself to concentrate and focus under both pressure and fatigue. On the whole, imagery is a fundamental aspect of marathon preparation, and works best when you can make your imagination as vivid and realistic as possible. Visualization is a similar strategy, in that it involves the process of creating ‘pictures’ in your mind. Typically, experienced marathon runners picture themselves every mile of the marathon for which they are training. For example, these runners can visualize what the finish line area will look like (e.g., with the clock displaying the racing time you hope to achieve, as well as the friends and spectators who will be there cheering you on).
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Training for a marathon requires you to be mentally and physically prepared, motivated, determined, focused, and positive. The next few months are going to be challenging, but if you have a plan, continue to work towards your goals, and use some of the mental strategies that we have outlined in this article, you will be able to achieve your goals and succeed. Individuals battling cancer need hope and encouragement, and as members of Team Continuum you are in the process of striving to achieve something not only for yourself, friends and family, but also for other cancer survivors, patients, and doctors.
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ABOUT RACHEL SHECHTER
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Rachel Shechter is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Maryland. Rachel has also been working at the NYU Child Study Center in New York City for the past three years. Rachel’s interests include the effects of psychological well being and stress and coping with physical illness, as well as body image and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She is married to Jonathan Shechter, who is a cancer survivor and is running in the 2005 NYC Marathon.
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ABOUT ERIC KLEIN
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Eric Klein is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. He holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from The College of New Jersey. His interests include satisfaction and enjoyment in sport, team dynamics, and counseling athletes in injury rehabilitation. Eric’s dissertation in progress focuses on the hazing epidemic at the collegiate level. In his spare time, he especially enjoys playing golf and tennis.