There is no doubt that running challenges us physically, but the mental aspect often gets lost, especially for new runners. When we think about it, the mental side of running is just as important as the physical side. In all the races I’ve competed in, I’ve had to face a difficult challenge in being confident, especially longer races (ex. 3200m, 5k, 10k, etc.). Come to think of it, mental health is essential in all aspects of life. Whether preparing for a major exam or playing a sport, everything we do depends on our mental state. Whenever I am preparing for a race, I need to make sure I am there mentally as much as I am physically. It doesn’t just depend on how I feel about that race but also everything else I do before it. Keeping a good mental state throughout the week can impact confidence and improve performance when the time comes.
Having an excellent mental mindset is essential with running and everything else. That includes schoolwork, working a job, etc. If we don’t keep a good mental state with our other obligations, we will not have a good mindset when we race in a meet. It also needs to be consistent. We cannot just talk to a psychologist in a week and stop it altogether. The mind can be unpredictable, and it can easily have us struggling in any sort of competition. Sometimes we may not be aware of our mental health until the race starts. If we’re not mentally prepared, we tend to think negatively during the race, exceptionally long races.
I’ve competed in both the 10k and 5k in track this past year. While I prefer running long distances, I feel it is more challenging than running the mile or 2 mile on the track. First of all, the number of laps can be mentally tiring. For a 10k, it is 25 laps outdoor, and for a 5k, it is 12.5 laps outdoor and 25 laps indoor. In both events, the number of laps can mentally drain us every time we pass the lap counter. There are times I just focused on the number of laps I had left other than the time I wanted to hit. My focus was not in the right place, and every time someone passed me, I always had the mindset of giving up.
It is essential to prepare before stepping on the line mentally. It is also necessary to speak to your coaches regarding anything we’re struggling with. Having a sports psychologist coach does a great job in creating strategies to improve our mental state before, during, and after a race. Even if you don’t have a sports psychologist at your school, any of your coaches will work. I know I am not an expert in running, but I know many strategies that have helped me improve over the years. Sometimes we have to be patient and understand that running faster takes time and effort with our overall well-being, including our mental health.
Having an excellent mental mindset is essential with running and everything else. That includes schoolwork, working a job, etc. If we don’t keep a good mental state with our other obligations, we will not have a good mindset when we race in a meet. It also needs to be consistent. We cannot just talk to a psychologist in a week and stop it altogether. The mind can be unpredictable, and it can easily have us struggling in any sort of competition. Sometimes we may not be aware of our mental health until the race starts. If we’re not mentally prepared, we tend to think negatively during the race, exceptionally long races.
I’ve competed in both the 10k and 5k in track this past year. While I prefer running long distances, I feel it is more challenging than running the mile or 2 mile on the track. First of all, the number of laps can be mentally tiring. For a 10k, it is 25 laps outdoor, and for a 5k, it is 12.5 laps outdoor and 25 laps indoor. In both events, the number of laps can mentally drain us every time we pass the lap counter. There are times I just focused on the number of laps I had left other than the time I wanted to hit. My focus was not in the right place, and every time someone passed me, I always had the mindset of giving up.
It is essential to prepare before stepping on the line mentally. It is also necessary to speak to your coaches regarding anything we’re struggling with. Having a sports psychologist coach does a great job in creating strategies to improve our mental state before, during, and after a race. Even if you don’t have a sports psychologist at your school, any of your coaches will work. I know I am not an expert in running, but I know many strategies that have helped me improve over the years. Sometimes we have to be patient and understand that running faster takes time and effort with our overall well-being, including our mental health.