Racing strong often comes with believing in yourself
Success is 90 percent physical and 10 percent mental. But never underestimate the power of that 10 percent.–Tom Fleming
Friends who know me well might laugh at the fact that I am doling out advice on finding your running confidence. But do as I say, not as I do, ok? Because I want you to understand how important your state of mind is when it comes to race day.
Ever have that picture perfect day where everything falls into place during a race? If you look back on the morning of that race, I’m betting you can remember feeling confident when you toed the line. Confident in your training, in your fitness level, and in your ability to execute your race as you have planned. And that confidence led you to success.
Gaining that confidence is never easy, believe me, I know! But I can say without a doubt that my best races have been when I felt confident all week leading up to that day. Across the board, my PRs have happened with this state of mind.
So how do you acquire that confidence? This is what has worked for me in the past:
- Solid training leading up to race day–training I know I can trust to deliver the desired results
- Having a race-day plan–knowing in advance what kind of a pace I want to hit from start to finish, and knowing these are paces that I can achieve
- A bit of visualization–I’m not great at this, but if I can picture myself finishing in the time I am after, it helps my confidence
- A shake-out run the day before–This is always my routine. It’s short (usually about two miles) but it’s enough to loosen the legs and let my head get the message that my legs are rested and ready to go.
These are all factors within your control, for the most part. So take that control and run with it, knowing you’ve got this race right where you want it.
What tricks work for you to gain confidence on race day? Have you noticed more confidence equals better performance?
well…not race day but for each workout? for life?
I often STOP and need to reflect on past successes to remind myself I CAN! I CAN!
Miz recently posted..THE MIZFIT WORKOUT SKIRTS ARE HERE!!
So true! Confidence makes a huge difference in your outlook.
Karen recently posted..Augusta 70.3 Re-cap…
I like to think about what it’s going to feel like to run the race on my training runs. I may not know the particular course but it helps me relax prior to the start. I fully believe in the power of positive thinking!
Jenny @ simply be me recently posted..Playlist Thursday – childhood memories
Those mental games sure do impact one’s performance. Thanks for the tips!
Jen recently posted..Getting After It
Great post! As I go into the Nike Women’s Half Marathon soon, I am def going to keep all of this in mind!
Betsy recently posted..Race Spectator Tips
Lots to say on that one! For myself-I tend to focus on everything that went right during a race or training, big or small. It helps shift focus to the positive which forms a habit-looking for the good vs. the bad.
Adrienne recently posted..Memorial Hermann Houston Triathlon 2012
I’m never overly confident, even though I always am sure I can do what I’ve set out to do.
Kovas – Midwest Multisport Life recently posted..Janji: Run For Others
Oh Yes! Confidence definitely helps, and a solid plan usually helps me feel more confident.
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers recently posted..More Workout Fun
I do think the mind plays a big part – especially when the going gets tough. You have to be confident enough to keep going/speed up/hold your pace at the end of a hard race!
Gracie (Complicated Day) recently posted..My Wednesday was rough
Believing in myself makes me confident in what I can do
Kierston recently posted..Under Armour: What’s Beautiful ~ Redefining The Female Athlete!
I love that first quote. So true. I always get myself way too worked up before races. I totally psych myself out. So this was a great post for me!
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Rambling, Running and Way to Go Wednesday
I completely believe this! Confidence and a positive outlook got me through my first 26.2 this weekend in the pouring rain. It turned out to be the most fun I’ve ever had in a race even though the weather sucked.
Carrie recently posted..Maine Marathon {Race Recap} and a PR!
Solid, solid training for me seals the deal. Not deviating from the plan one bit. Also a couple of weeks prior doing a lot of visualization. Day dreaming about the race and studying the course map. Shake out runs don’t do much for me, sometimes they make me more nervous.
Tasha @ Healthy Diva recently posted..Being at peace with myself
My personal opinion, the longer the distance the race or the harder the course, the more mental the race becomes, its very weird how that is.
Scott recently posted..The Click
It’s funny because I think that I tend not to feel overly confident going into a race or something big because I fear I will jinx it. For me, it’s such a mental game – believing in myself and trusting in my training. Visualization i.e. swimming fluid and calm in open water vs. flailing around
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Happiness is…
I’m with you on most things apart from ‘knowing what pace you’re going to hit from start to finish’. As for me, I never, ever know what pace I’ve run until working it out from my finishing time after the race. If I’m running intervals or repetitions, that’s different, and I like to be spot on to the second.
I never look at my watch during a race, though I’ll click it when passing mile markers – if I remember! I work on the premise that my body knows a lot better than my watch what pace it’s capable of running at and what speed it’s happier with. It hasn’t let me down, so far, and has churned out some pretty fast times.
Gordon recently posted..A duck out of water
Great timing. Even though I’ve run 12 marathons & ultras, I’m struggling with confidence for Chicago this weekend! My training wasn’t what I wanted it to be and I’m unsure of what the day holds. Well meaning friends say, “Just have fun!” but I didn’t train to JUST have fun. I’ll have fun for sure but I also want to have a great race!
I also try to visualize key points in a race, including the finish and seeing a particular time. Often, I’ll write a “power” word on my arm as a reminder. For my 70.3 it was “nutria” ha!
That Pink Girl recently posted..Crewing – The Texas Time Trials
Confidence is a huge oversized elephant in the room when it comes to me. I don’t think I have ever started a race confidently, so I’m interested in seeing how it would change things if I did so!
Amanda @ Run Principessa recently posted..I Celebrated Vegetarian Day!
Thanks for the tips. This is definitely something I need to work on. I am not feeling overly confident about the NYC Marathon in one month. I have been feeling super sluggish lately and haven’t gotten in enough long runs. I will be working on the confidence this next month of training before the race.
Beth @ Miles and Trials recently posted..September Highlights
I definitely think the mental aspect of running (especially distance running) is HUGE! The power of the mind should definitely not be underestimated. GREAT POST (as always)
Krysten Siba Bishop (@darwinianfail) recently posted..Marathon Training Thursday – I am tired…
I think having a plan is so important. That goes along with the visualization too. If you know how you’re going to respond when something goes wrong (and it almost always does), then you are much better off.
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted..Wednesday Workout: The Debate Workout
Repeating a mantra or something during a run does it for me sometimes.
Jamoosh recently posted..Shoe Me
I definitely think a lot of success on race day for me is mental…and it’s usually when I simply go out and have fun that I do my best because I allow my training to take over rather than thinking too much
Amanda @RunToTheFinish recently posted..Complete Stride Analysis
I don’t know, I kind of think the whole ‘head’ thing is over rated! Controversial?! I think I agree with you though, when you feel confident you run well but I think the confidence comes from knowing you’ve done the work and that you’re in good shape. You can’t fake it, you can’t kid yourself on. Maybe that’s just how I work though, I guess if there are people who put the work in and still have doubts, that’s a problem! I grew up being told how much running is in your head, as an adult I call BS, it’s on the treadmill, it’s on the road, it’s up that hill, it’s on the track. If you’re the type of person who is doing all of that and truly giving all you can, then the results will follow – your heads already there. Again, maybe I’m just an uber confident person (when I know I’ve done the work
).
Surprisingly, my best races came when I was feeling little to no pressure about the race. Like, I’m just going to run my best and see what happens. Maybe it’s a combination of being relaxed and running by feel/pacing well. Who knows.
Laura recently posted..Keeping up
Great post! I don’t think you can underestimate the mental side of racing – I still have a tendency to psyche myself out a bit before a race. Reflecting on my training (especially the really strong runs) – reminding myself of all the work I’ve done to get to the starting line helps a lot.
Michelle @ Running with Attitude recently posted..Midweek Motivation
I think confidence is a reflection of preparation, and that’s exactly what you’re describing in your post:
Doing the training, having a plan, mental rehearsal
All great ideas.
The only things we can control are our actions. We can’t control the level of our competition, the weather, the condition of the course, but we can control the level of OUR OWN capability through preparation, how we can best DEAL WITH the weather (shoes, clothing, etc.), and the degree of ATTENTION we pay to the course to make sure the conditions don’t overwhelm us.
And, in the end, it’s normal to be anxious or nervous before an event. No need to mistake that for lack of confidence, that’s just the competitive spirit ramping up!
Jonathan Aluzas recently posted..Fitness Realities: What is your "Living Wage?"
I’m a huge fan of visualization. Usually in the weeks before a big race I start imagining myself at mile 20 or 21 and picture myself pushing past through the pain and exhaustion.
However, it goes hand in hand with your post on Tuesday – too much confidence and I shoot myself in the foot – I start too fast and struggle with the race. =)
Michele @ Nycrunningmama recently posted..Short Term Race Plans
I needed to read this today! I’m about one week out from my first race in months, a ten miler, and I’m feeling a bit unprepared. The paces I’m supposed to hit sound daunting… but I’m going to do my best to have confidence this coming week! And to remember to pace myself at the start. We’ll see what happens!
Laura recently posted..Appetite for Life Cookbook Giveaway
Such a great reminder!! Especially as training starts to get tough. I find that the visualization works great for me. I practice seeing that goal finish time on the clock or Garmin and eventually I’ve convinced myself that it WILL happen. It’s always the races that I question myself on that I have a hard time. Well, except my last half marathon, but I had a little help getting through that one
GreenGirlRunning recently posted..CIM Training Week 9
I’ve never been confident on race day – even when I’ve been training well. But the days when I’ve run my PBs I’ve been relaxed at the start and taken it out easy for the first kilometre.
Char recently posted..A Good Day
I think it is important to feel confident on your race day!!! If you do everything you can possibly do to prepare I feel you need to have confidence in that training which in the end will make for a better race!
Toni Church recently posted..The Journey Is Over But The Dream Lives On………
Confidence is such a tough one! I have the worst pre-race confidence, so I always try to focus more on why I do it- because I love it, not because I want to win.
I think that a shakeout run the day before does wonders, too!
Abby @ Change of Pace recently posted..Change of Pace – Mountain biking
This is the first training cycle that I’ve visualized the numbers on the finish clock (even though it’s a wave start, so those won’t be my actual numbers), so I’m hoping that at least adds to my confidence. Sleep is the main factor for me. I have a very hard time sleeping the week of the race (or any other time really), but if I sleep well the night before, I’m solid.
Great post and very true. My problem is pressure and it kills my confidence. I race best when I am the only one at the race. If I have friends there with me, than I start to worry about them, don’t want to be too fast and don’t want to be the slowest one either. My head starts spinning and I just can’t relax.
Christine recently posted..A Running Pop Quiz!
A shakeout run before race day! Not sure why I hadn’t thought of that, but great idea!
Ama_Runs recently posted..Naturebox Product Review and GIVEAWAY!
I go back and forth on the confidence thing. One month before, I am good and strong and happy. Taper week, I waver. A few days before/the day before, I am good. The morning of, I am a puddle on the ground. 4 minutes into the race, I am strong again! Most of the non confident parts are just pre-race jitters. In my mind, I know I will come out fine!
Travel Spot recently posted..Harvest 10k