This post was written by Amy Reinink, a freelance writer who specializes in health and fitness. Her work has appeared in publications including Runner’s World, Running Times, Women’s Running and The Washington Post. She is also a middle-of-the-pack marathoner, an open-water swimming enthusiast and a ski-patrol candidate who blogs about her training adventures on her website, amyreinink.com.
About a year ago, I realized I have a superpower: I can choose my thoughts.
This realization came courtesy of a story I wrote for Women’s Running (Think Like the Pros, November/December 2009) about motivation. In talking with the sports psychologists I interviewed for the story, such as “mental toughness trainer” Alison Arnold, I learned that athletes’ thoughts are inextricably connected to their performance—and that I could control those thoughts to make myself a happier, more motivated athlete.
Ever since then, I’ve adopted the following strategies:
1. Identify negative thoughts. Arnold says negative thoughts can be sneaky. We know better than to tell ourselves we’re about to have a crappy workout. We’re more likely to make definitive statements about our performance: “I always get tired around this point,” or “I always get hurt in the winter,” Arnold says. Letting your mind focus on pain that might be quite real – “My knee is killing me” – counts, too.
I thought about this, hard, and discovered I really never give myself a break from a barrage of sneaky negative thoughts. Regulars in the chaotic, crowded happy-hour that is my mind:
It’s hot. I’m injury-prone, and will most likely end up hurt again. I’m too slow to keep up with my regular pace group.
Sheesh. Maybe we should try a different bar.
2. Substitute positive thoughts – or at least neutral ones. Arnold says not to sweat it if positive, sunny thoughts don’t ring true at first, and suggests taking “one step up on the feel-good scale.”
My positive spins: Training in the heat makes me better at running in the heat—I’ll be ahead of everyone who’s staying inside on treadmills. My hip problems have made me a stronger runner and overall athlete thanks to months of physical therapy. As for the pace group, I know most of our group-run routes, so if I fall behind, it’s not a big deal. And trying to keep up with people who are faster than me makes me a better runner, which is why I’m training to begin with.
3. Feed the positive thought with breathing, music and continued positive self-talk.
This was really put to the test one of the first times I tried this self-talk business: The guys I was running with did, in fact, pull away from me on the route’s last hill. This led to the equivalent of a bar fight in my head, as competing thoughts exchanged sucker-punches. I eventually shut them up by reverting to a mental playlist including lots of Eminem, not even realizing I was following Arnold’s advice. A bonus: I caught up to the guys at a stoplight.
4. Channel your passion. Every runner should have a long-term goal they’re passionate about and should remind themselves of that goal often. A runner training for Race for the Cure might repeat “cure” during speed workouts. A runner training for a marathon might hang a course map on the refrigerator, tape a motivational quote to the bathroom mirror or create a billboard with inspirational magazine cutouts and photos.
My “motivation board” takes care of this one. It’s a bulletin board just a few feet away from my work space with a colorful little graphic from a Runner’s World story titled “Why Do You Run?,” an awesome pencil-sketch from my husband wishing me luck before the National Half-Marathon, photos and brochures from upcoming races. Glancing at it never fails to remind me of why, exactly, I’m pushing myself out the door to begin with.
Image via WanderingtheWorld on Flickr
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