I will always be amazed at how much running is a mental exercise. Don’t get me wrong, hard and smart physical training is very important in achieving personal results. But mental training delivers maximum performance.
In 2009 in Negril after a solid year of physical preparation I ran my first marathon at Reggae Marathon. I had trained hard. I took advantage of all the training tips, put in the long slow distance runs and diligently did my speed work. I ran with a running group whose founder had run the Boston Marathon a number of times. I picked his brain on what to expect in the full marathon. I visualized the different stages of the race and especially of crossing the finish line. After all that, I still got to the start line that morning cialas with apprehension: did I have the mental toughness to finish the Reggae Marathon?
Carrie Tollefson, who raced and won the 10K at last December’s Reggae Marathon recently put together a video about about what she does to prepare mentally. While she is an Olympic-level athlete, what she shared can be applied to mid-pack runners like me. And while it may be a long way to Reggae Marathon 2012, it’s never too early to start working on your mental state of mind. Take a look:
Thanks Carrie. See you at Reggae Marathon 2012.
And yes, I did finish my first Reggae Marathon in 2009. It took longer than I expected and I kept my wife anxious waiting at the finish but I crossed the finish line with a smile.
Until next time…
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For more information, check out the Reggae Marathon Web Site. Photo courtesy of Errol Anderson. For more about Carrie Tollefson, check her web site, CTolleRun.
