Running Smarter vol. 1
The Mental Side of Running & Racing
By Mark Spewak, owner of Spewak Racing & Spewak Training
www.spewaktraining.com
My name is Mark Spewak and I am a personal running coach with Spewak Training. Something I am extremely passionate about is helping runners improve their mental game. When I was a young runner, I really struggled with the mental side of the sport. For years, I fought anxiety and nerves before races by pretending they didn’t exist. Eventually those demons caught up to me and forced me to really understand that if I wanted to perform better, I had to find a way to become mentally stronger. It all clicked for me when I started racing after college. I was doing a local 5k and had the inspiration to really push myself knowing there was zero pressure. The result was a 5k PR and winning the race. That changed everything for me!
When we coach youth, high school and collegiate athletes, we are talking more about how to race and compete than we are about the training in itself. However, at the adult level, I often find people get into marathons and different road races without realizing just how important it is to hone in on the mental side. Because running is for the masses, I think it’s often lost that this is a sport. While it’s our hobby, not our job, it’s still a sport and it’s important to remember that you have to bring a level of focus to planning your race day game plan if you want to be successful. In what sport can you be successful without having a plan? Having a plan for how you are going to compete when you are struggling the most in a race is how you find success in those dark moments.
The first thing to remember is that everyone struggles with the mental side in any sport. Our sport is so difficult because the more pain we are willing to endure in the race, the stronger the result will be. Let me clarify – pain in the sense of pushing yourself to your highest level, not pushing through an injury. However, with that said, if you have ever raced a 5k, you understand what this means. The first thing I tell my athletes is to focus on the process, not the result. It’s really hard in races to commit to the level of hurt if the motivation isn’t there. It’s a lot harder to buy into pushing that extra percent if you are in a negative mental state. No one is going to be 100 percent positive while racing. However, if you can trick yourself into using some key words and phrases to power you up in the hardest moments, you will find ways to push through those demons and fight harder!
Racing is difficult all around because there is always more to give. The thing to remember is that we are never going to be perfect in a race. If you want to improve at anything, you have to practice. The more consistent you are with learning how to use positive self-talk in races and taking risks, the easier it is to execute in the hardest moments. All I care about with my athletes is effort. Any time we step on a starting line, we need to give our best. That’s why it is so important to focus less on the result and simply giving your best in any hard effort. It’s crucial that you don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed if you are struggling with the mental demons of competing. It’s completely normal. The more you work to embrace the nerves, the stronger of a competitor you will be. See your vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness. Write down on a piece of paper not only your goals for performance, but what you want to see from yourself at the hardest part of any race.
Best of luck to everyone preparing for their upcoming fall races. If you want to get experience with improving in this area, sign up for some local races leading up to your goal race. Having that preparation and experience before race day will allow you to be that much more ready for the big day. Good luck!