Preparing for the London Marathon

London Marathon Mental Training – The Training Programme

Whether this is your first attempt at the Marathon, or you are an experienced long-distance runner, your training so far has more than likely left you with little doubt as to how much physical effort is required for such a challenging event. The early morning runs, the dark nights, the driving rain, the sore muscles – all part and parcel of taking on one of the greatest events in the UK sporting calendar. But with all the physical training you’re putting in to ensure you’re ready for the 22nd of April, how much time have you allowed for the mental training?

The psychology of distance running is woven into almost every aspect of an event like the London Marathon. It starts with the reason why you have chosen to run in the first place, continues throughout your training, and influences your thoughts and performance on the day. To help you make the most of your training and be at your mental best at the start line, I’ve included some mental training techniques below which you can start to use straight away. To start with we’ll look at the mental aspects of training, and how you can stay motivated and positive throughout your training programme.

One of the most challenging features in any training programme is sticking to it. Cold, wet nights and early mornings are an easy excuse to avoid going out for a run, and this is even more difficult if you don’t have any structure to your training schedule. One of the best ways to get and stay motivated is to set clear goals so you know what you’re trying to achieve and how you’re going to get there. Follow the SMART method of creating goals – they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed (i.e. there is a date by when the goal must be achieved). A typical final goal for the London Marathon would therefore be to run the 2007 London Marathon in under 4 hours.

Once you have this final goal, get an A4 piece of paper and write it down at the top of the page. Then below that create monthly and weekly goals that will take you from your current position to the 22nd of April, so for example a monthly goal (i.e. for a month from now) might be to be able to run 18 miles by 22 March, and a weekly goal (i.e. a goal for this week) might be to run 10 miles three times this week. You can also include items such as researching suitable food menus, finding someone to run with to give you more motivation, and so on. Basically your “process goals” are all the things you need to do in order to achieve your main goal. When you have these goals written down, show them to whoever is supporting you in your training so that the goals are shared and they can support you further. Then stick them up where you can refer to them regularly, and especially when you need a bit of motivation. At the end of each week and month, set new goals for the following week and month so that you are gradually getting nearer to the point you want to be before the race.

Once you have these goals in place, it’s time to think about how you will look and feel when you have achieved your goal, i.e. after you cross the finish line. This reinforces your final goal and gives you a clear and positive image to aim for. To do this, find a quiet place where you can sit or lie down, take a few deep breaths and relax yourself as much as you can. You can play some gentle music in the background as well to help with this. Once you’re feeling quite relaxed, start to imagine yourself completing the marathon – perhaps turning the corner into the Mall, heading towards the line, crossing the line and seeing the marshal coming towards you with the silver foil blanket, then another marshal putting the medal around your neck, and so on. Your visualisations should always be positive, and always have a successful outcome. Try to incorporate all the sounds, sights, smells you would expect at that time, and make it as vivid as you can. This is your Winning Image, and you should spend time every day in this relaxed state, imagining your Winning Image. You can then call on this image whenever you need it, whether it’s during a tough part of training or in the race itself, to give you a hand. Later on you’ll use the same techniques to create ways to help you deal with “hitting the wall” or fatigue during the race.

Part 2: Race Day Tactics

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