Association zeroes in on bodily sensations, such as breathing, muscles, energy, fatigue and pain. Use it to run faster and relax and get into a rhythm.
Dissociation takes you away from your bodily sensations. It is useful to relieve boredom and reduce awareness of pain and fatigue.
Tips for association:
- Focus on breathing. Get into a rhythm. Breathe in for a certain number of steps and then breathe out for the same number of steps. Imagine tension, fatigue and heaviness leaving your body as you exhale; imagine lightness and energy filling you as you inhale.
- Relax. Start at the head and move down your body, focusing on each area. If you notice tension, breathe into it and feel the tension leave as you exhale.
- Monitor your body. Use this feedback to adjust your pace if necessary.
Tips for dissociation:
- Listen to music. Pick tunes that pump you up and generate a positive mood.
- Fantasize. Imagine winning the lottery and how you will spend the money.
- Count. Pick an object, such as Nike hats, and count how many you see as you run.
- Alphabetize. Choose a category, like animals or famous athletes and then go through the alphabet naming one for each letter.
Use your creativity, but be sure to keep your thoughts fun and light. Avoid thoughts associated with stressors, such as tension at work or in a relationship.
Talk to Yourself
The mind has a will of its own, and it can say outlandish, hurtful and negative things. Try not to fight it – just notice the thoughts, let them go and consciously redirect your mind to positive and helpful thoughts.
For example, instead of saying, “I can’t do this. What was I thinking? This hurts too much. It’s not worth it,” just notice those thoughts, let them drift out and say, “I can do this. I have trained hard. I know what I want and what I’m doing.”
Prepare for "The Wall"
Visualize before the race what this is like – that feeling of utter exhaustion and perhaps panic and doom. Visualize getting past it, knowing that you can and will succeed. Plan to remind yourself, “This is inevitable. This is part of the process. I’ll get past this.”
Anticipate the Letdown
You won’t always feel your best during the marathon. Prepare a coping strategy and a few encouraging phrases like, “I’m okay. I’m doing fine.”
Set Specific Goals
Break the race into quarters and set goals for each quarter. Expect a variety of feelings and emotions – both good and unpleasant – to occur at all stages. Anticipate that anything can happen but plan and expect to get past whatever presents itself.
Have Fun
Keep a list ready to remind yourself why you run marathons. Repeat and visualize the fun and sense of accomplishment and wonder at what your body can do.
References for this article included:
Sport Psychology—Thought Control by L. Crust
Mental Training for Peak Performance by S. Ungerleider
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