Welcome back to All Things Running with Sonja & Jen. Today Sonja is going to talk about the elite mindset and it couldn’t come at a better time than championship season.
I have been a coach for nearly 30 years and a competitive runner for over 42 years. I have observed and experienced a great deal of emotions and behaviors during that time! Initially in my coaching career I worked with collegiate and high school runners focusing on distances from the 400m to the 10K. I eventually expanded this range to work with runners of all ages and abilities from the 400m to the Marathon and occasionally Triathletes. From this vast pool of athletes it has become undoubtedly clear to me that our mindset is one of the “controllables” regarding our running and competing that can affect our performance as much as our effort and physical fitness, (and in some situations, even more so).
My youngest daughter, who is a high school freshman and specializes in the 400m and 800m is a prime and recent example of this. She is very competitive and hard on herself (expects a lot), and has shared with me that she often feels extra pressure to live up to who I was and am as a competitive runner. For these reasons and many more that a teenage girl may be experiencing day to day, her mindset is often predictive of her race performance. I have witnessed both extremes from her in the past few weeks. Two weeks ago she felt out of place, outmatched, and literally scared prior to her first (ever), indoor track race. The result: she froze mid race. I saw her facial expression change from nervous excitement and determination on the starting line to fear and surrender within the first half of the very crowded and competitive race. While she finished, the last lap was nearly a jog and she was devastated after. By contrast, yesterday, she competed with her high school teammates at their first outdoor track invitational of the season. She still had some PTSD from the indoor race, but the camaraderie with her school friends and familiar faces fostered a more positive mindset. She won her heat of the 800m, taking over the lead just after the first lap and ran a great last 200m. Feeling MUCH better about herself and her ability after this race, she volunteered to lead off the 4 x 400 when the usual lead off runner could not due to a tight hamstring. The result: she gave her team a commanding lead and ran a PR split in the process. She said that race meant the most to her because she did it with and for her teammates (again…mindset!). Perspective is sometimes…everything.
I am a full believer in the benefits of sports psychology, both as an athlete and a coach. I read anything and everything I can on the topic and my goal is to achieve a Masters degree in it someday. I have found four key elements to creating and maintaining an “elite” mindset that will help us not only perform to and possibly beyond our physical ability, but also will help us truly enjoy our sport more! I describe them below:
Commitment - In short, you are “all-in”! Your habits, thoughts, choices, etc. all reflect this.
Your goals are specific and you do all that is necessary to achieve them
Your habits and behavior do not change based on your mood or external factors.
Confidence - This is an unshakable belief in yourself and the power you have to change your current circumstances. It gives you the ability to focus. You can cultivate more of it via:
Visualization of the Race Plan You Desire
Commitment to Exemplary Preparation
Positive & Powerful Self Talk
Reflecting (like a movie in your mind), on past successful performances.
Composure - a state of calm; humble confidence; exuding a cool demeanor despite feeling nervous or angry, frustrated, etc.
Control your Emotions (stay “cool” and calm via self talk no matter what occurs). This keeps emotions under control and you will make better executive decisions even in chaotic situations.
Use breathing exercises to calm yourself or lower anxiety especially prior to the race start. Inhaling for 4 seconds and exhaling for 6 is a simple, yet effective practice.
Concentration - You are present and in the moment. This allows you to heighten your 5 senses and gives you the capacity to focus. How to improve it:
Focus on one stride, one section of the race at a time. Do NOT think of the next lap, the end result, etc. Just stay present!
If this is especially hard for you to cultivate, try managing your stride cadence by counting every time your right foot hits the ground.
Maintain Composure (see above!)
I know so many of us struggle to keep a positive and “elite” mindset race to race, and occasionally training block to training block, depending on how things are going. What we consistently practice and track will ultimately improve, so I encourage you to include these sport psychology principles in your daily training regimen as much as possible. I hope they make a true difference for you and you will share that experience with us in the future!