Sunday, October 18, 2009
Getting Into the Proper Zen-like State of Mind, Day 1
Since I started running last year I've had a tendency to post "Will is getting into the proper Zen-like state of mind" as my Facebook status the day before a race. But I've realized that getting into the proper state of mind is not a one day affair. For the big races, like next weekend's Marine Corps Marathon, it's something that builds slowly all through training. And when it comes to really getting my head into the game, I'm going to devote an entire week to it this time.
Today, it's all about visualization.
I'm reviewing the course map on the marathon website. I have an advantage here, in that I ran the race last year and it doesn't look like the course has changed. I know where I had problems last year, I remember how I was feeling at different points, and so I can strategize a bit for this race. For instance:
- Last year, Ethan and I stopped to pee around Mile 8. Since we try to hydrate before the race, there's a good chance we'll have some "excess" that needs to go. It's funny, right after the starting line you'll see people already running off into the bushes. Marathon peeing is one of the funniest things. But anyway, Mile 8 is a good place because we're coming downhill along a wooded road, and we're about to get into Georgetown, which is a business district and will be filled with spectators, so it's not like there's anyplace you can go. Once we come through Georgetown we'll have a few miles of open area where whipping it out and relieving oneself in the bushes isn't really an option. (I feel I should point out that for women this is much worse) So anyway, I know I have an option around Mile 8 that I won't have again for a while, and based on my Hong Kong marathon experience, I don't want to have to wait until we hit a set of Porta-Potties ('cuz you might have to wait, and that costs time).
- There's a feeling you get at the halfway point: good, because you're halfway there, but bad, because you're ONLY halfway there. I know where that point is and can watch for it, and will focus on the positive, i.e., halfway there and STILL GOING STRONG!!!!
- I've got a good idea of where I need support. It helps to have people there in the first few miles...the Starting Line is very motivational, but an hour later that excitement is starting to fade. Mile 18 is important...that's around the 3-hour point, and it's where I start thinking about making a run for the finish instead of just slogging through. It's also where Ethan had a muscle cramp last year, so I consider that a bad luck place. Also, it helps to have some cheering there, because Mile 20 is a critical point, and it's not easy for spectators to get there (it's on a bridge) so the boost right before will help. Miles 22-23, in the Crystal City area, are very important, because there are a lot of spectators there, and a big festival, and having a friend there yelling for YOU, rather than just a bunch of random strangers on the side of the road, is a big morale booster. Also, because that stretch is a loop (run down one side of the street, then run back on the other) you can see your friends twice. And the Finish Line is key...even though it's totally packed, and I'm pretty wiped out, and just focusing on the last little bit of running, it's true that simply knowing that people are there for you, even if you don't see them, is essential.
- My dad likes to say that "the marathon really begins at Mile 20; everything before that is just a long run." There's a LOT of truth to that. Once you get over 20 miles, that's when the serious effects start to hit your body (well, mine, anyway) and it's going to take a while to recover from that. That's why I don't do many 20+mile runs in training, because it knocks me out of long runs for a while. So while I might not "hit the wall" at 20 miles, I know I'm going to be feeling the effects of the run start to wash over me (it's happened all three times) and I can figure out now how to respond to that. Looking at the map helps me figure out where I should adjust my pace and do some mental exercises to push myself along when I hit that (the Crystal City portion that follows soon afterwards is very motivational, so all I have to do is hold on until then).
- I've already practiced visualizing the Finish Line. The final 0.2 miles is uphill, and fortunately, my regular running trail is uphill right at the end. So every time I'm out there, I pretend it's the marathon finish...I push myself there the way I want to push myself in the real race, and my hope is that I'll be used to it and be able to duplicate it in the marathon.
I don't want any surprises next Sunday. Though I can't figure out how everything will go, I can decide how I want to be feeling, what I want to be thinking, and how I want to deal with different milestones in the race. So much of marathoning is mental, not just physical, and I need to ensure my mind is in as good a shape as my body.
I am going to TEAR UP THIS RACE!!!!!!!
Today, it's all about visualization.
I'm reviewing the course map on the marathon website. I have an advantage here, in that I ran the race last year and it doesn't look like the course has changed. I know where I had problems last year, I remember how I was feeling at different points, and so I can strategize a bit for this race. For instance:
- Last year, Ethan and I stopped to pee around Mile 8. Since we try to hydrate before the race, there's a good chance we'll have some "excess" that needs to go. It's funny, right after the starting line you'll see people already running off into the bushes. Marathon peeing is one of the funniest things. But anyway, Mile 8 is a good place because we're coming downhill along a wooded road, and we're about to get into Georgetown, which is a business district and will be filled with spectators, so it's not like there's anyplace you can go. Once we come through Georgetown we'll have a few miles of open area where whipping it out and relieving oneself in the bushes isn't really an option. (I feel I should point out that for women this is much worse) So anyway, I know I have an option around Mile 8 that I won't have again for a while, and based on my Hong Kong marathon experience, I don't want to have to wait until we hit a set of Porta-Potties ('cuz you might have to wait, and that costs time).
- There's a feeling you get at the halfway point: good, because you're halfway there, but bad, because you're ONLY halfway there. I know where that point is and can watch for it, and will focus on the positive, i.e., halfway there and STILL GOING STRONG!!!!
- I've got a good idea of where I need support. It helps to have people there in the first few miles...the Starting Line is very motivational, but an hour later that excitement is starting to fade. Mile 18 is important...that's around the 3-hour point, and it's where I start thinking about making a run for the finish instead of just slogging through. It's also where Ethan had a muscle cramp last year, so I consider that a bad luck place. Also, it helps to have some cheering there, because Mile 20 is a critical point, and it's not easy for spectators to get there (it's on a bridge) so the boost right before will help. Miles 22-23, in the Crystal City area, are very important, because there are a lot of spectators there, and a big festival, and having a friend there yelling for YOU, rather than just a bunch of random strangers on the side of the road, is a big morale booster. Also, because that stretch is a loop (run down one side of the street, then run back on the other) you can see your friends twice. And the Finish Line is key...even though it's totally packed, and I'm pretty wiped out, and just focusing on the last little bit of running, it's true that simply knowing that people are there for you, even if you don't see them, is essential.
- My dad likes to say that "the marathon really begins at Mile 20; everything before that is just a long run." There's a LOT of truth to that. Once you get over 20 miles, that's when the serious effects start to hit your body (well, mine, anyway) and it's going to take a while to recover from that. That's why I don't do many 20+mile runs in training, because it knocks me out of long runs for a while. So while I might not "hit the wall" at 20 miles, I know I'm going to be feeling the effects of the run start to wash over me (it's happened all three times) and I can figure out now how to respond to that. Looking at the map helps me figure out where I should adjust my pace and do some mental exercises to push myself along when I hit that (the Crystal City portion that follows soon afterwards is very motivational, so all I have to do is hold on until then).
- I've already practiced visualizing the Finish Line. The final 0.2 miles is uphill, and fortunately, my regular running trail is uphill right at the end. So every time I'm out there, I pretend it's the marathon finish...I push myself there the way I want to push myself in the real race, and my hope is that I'll be used to it and be able to duplicate it in the marathon.
I don't want any surprises next Sunday. Though I can't figure out how everything will go, I can decide how I want to be feeling, what I want to be thinking, and how I want to deal with different milestones in the race. So much of marathoning is mental, not just physical, and I need to ensure my mind is in as good a shape as my body.
I am going to TEAR UP THIS RACE!!!!!!!
Labels: Running
