Running is a mental workout
Imagination training, setting a goal, concentrating on a task or focusing on running technique – these are simple methods of dealing with pain and mental impotence recommended by sports psychologists. Experts advise how to overcome the crisis called the wall during a race or a long-distance run, run more meters of the route and lengthen the step shortened by fatigue.
As Natalia Pawelska and Dr. Dariusz Parzelski, sports psychologists at SWPS University, explain, “wall” is a crisis, which ry occurs during the run. One in two people experience it during their first participation in a marathon. Continuous, several-hour effort causes physiological phenomena to occur in the athlete’s body, which re cause a slump in form.
Research conducted by Pawelska under the direction of Dr. Parzelski among d 162 amateur runners have shown that 62.6 percent of. of them have experienced such a problem at least once while covering the course. Among d these os b 12.5 percent. always “collides with the wall” during the marathon, 30.4 percent. – often, and 57.1 percent. – rarely. This condition occurs most often between 28. a 35. kilometer.
– The wall is defined as an unpleasant experience that re is more of a physical crisis than a psychophysical one. This usually manifests itself through og lne fatigue, loss of motivation, unintentional slowing of pace, loss of form, increase in effort, b l muscles or sluggishness of the limbs,” explain the author and the promoter of the thesis titled “The crisis of the finish line”. “Analysis of the motive In and cognitive strategies used during the competition in athletes in those training for marathon running”.
According to the expert in phenomenon “walls” is related to training level, which is why debutant runners who Those who want to spr b to train for a marathon, they should prepare for difficulties. The key is to plan the way in coping with “wall” and adapt to the conditions in the prevailing conditions during the competition. It is worth taking into account the time of the start, air temperature, str j sports, but also terrain.
Sports psychologists recommend the so-called. imaginative training. One can try to run the entire marathon route in one’s mind, taking into account the established strategy and engaging as many senses as possible .
– Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and imagine yourself running the entire route kilometer after kilometer. Take into account as many details as possible ł, among other things, what you see when covering a route or on the dial of a sports watch, but also observe Other noises, such as the beating of one’s own heart, the cheering of fans, monitor your own well-being, taste the food and drink, kt re you take in nutritional points and test ways to cope with crisis situations. Before you stand on the starting line, be prepared for s various eventualities. It’s worth sticking to this plan, because the euphoria during the first kilometers of the The time of the start can make the pace of the race much faster than intended, which in the following stages will pay with a decrease in form and motivation, experts advise.
Despite the occurrence of a crisis, you can reach the finish line using motivational strategies. Psychologists estimate that recalling negative thoughts and focusing on every painful part of the body can mean the greatest difficulty and lead to giving up. That’s why it’s a good idea to develop your own motivational slogans in preparation for a run, e.g. “I am well prepared to run”, “running gives me a lot of joy”, “in a difficult situation, I focus on running technique”. These strategies are important especially ln the last kilometers in a marathon.
– To find out which hich strategy is most suitable for you, you should test it during training and athletes in the kr tthree distances. The more often a strategy is practiced, the greater the chance that it will be effective, Natalia Pawelska and Dr. Dariusz Parzelski argue.
According to the psychologist is worth training regularly under the guidance of a trainer, set yourself adequate goals, develop a strategy for the run, but also practice in the kind of conditions in which you will be competing. You can start by running In the 5 kilometer, and then increase the distance to 10 kilometers, p and so on until the marathon. During any participation in a competition on the cr tighter distances, opr cz to test your running abilities, it is worth focusing on observing the behavior of your own body and its reaction to emergency situations.
Opr cz physical preparation, proper diet is also important zar both before and during the marathon. You should plan how often, what types and amounts of liquid in will be taken and what will make up for the missing energy.
