'On-Run' visualisations

Does anyone use mental imagery as a motivational tool not before a run, but while running? e.g pretend they are a machine expelling steam or imagine being chased by lions! I'm researching a book and would love some examples.

I've never visualised being chased by a lion! But I've certainly visualised crossing the finish line of a race, or how the nice cold pint will look and taste that I'm due later that day as a reward, during any low or tough points during a race. I think it's probably a pretty common technique amongst runners to keep going when your body would dearly love you to stop.

A wire....one end attached to my forehead and the other a mile or so down the road attached to a winch, pulling me along, only works when the Lion has concked out behind me and im about to follow suit!

Love the wire image (and the motivational lure of the pint!) as its sounds good for posture too...some cyclists use a similar system of cords that they 'hook' to riders and reel in. Maybe runners also reel in competitors in front..

Mine is boring, Last 5 miles of a marathon, I visualise the route of an easy 5 mile run I do from my home which I have done countless times before. Not sure if it eases the pain, but helps to get through it. Maybe I will now add in being chased by a dog as a bit of motivation.

I use visualisation all the time.  I always  cast a line to trees on top of  a hill  so that i can pull myself up. I sometimes picture myself with a magic carpet floating alongside me  that i can just use to take the weight off my feet.  I only lean on it when it gets tough, i wouldn't use it for the whole race ,( that would be cheating.)

 I look into the distance at runners passing a certain point, like a cottage or  copse of trees and i imagine that the runner i can see is me!  Then as i pass that point

i say hello to myself as i reach "me". 

I use visualisation when running all the time. I visualise up ahead a load of mud and once I run through it, I can see that it really is.

I don't have a very visual imagination so I don't actually picture this in my head, but sometimes when I am running uphill I like to pretend I am a squirrel.

Scampering is such a silly word that it seems easier than running.

I used to imagine myself as a steam locomotive and the furnace was being stoked with Mars bars! This helped when energy was flagging a bit.

Another was the ground was on fire/broken glass, so my feet had to have as little contact with the ground as possible. This helped speed and also a lighter step.

Another was imagine string tied to my ankles and over my shoulders; I was holding the string in my hands and as I ran my hands pulled the string lifting my legs high.

Sometimes these things sound silly but the old maxim applies "If it works for you". Actually, I do sometimes use these 'mind tricks'  even now.

Apparently a survey of German guys revealed that they mostly visualised sex during their runs.

How the hell does that work in a public place?

Squirrels, locomotives, magic carpets - fantastic. You are right Marenkay, if it works, use it, however daft. Running in the woods I sometimes imagine I'm a hunter and the dog is my pet wolf which works well on a grey Surrey day. 

According to the sports psychologists its always better to look ahead than run/cycle out of fear (e.g of getting overtaken), by the way, so my example of getting chased by lions is not a helpful one.  

Also-ran wrote (see)

Mine is boring, Last 5 miles of a marathon, I visualise the route of an easy 5 mile run I do from my home which I have done countless times before. Not sure if it eases the pain, but helps to get through it. Maybe I will now add in being chased by a dog as a bit of motivation.

i do this, try to relate my position in a race to how far from home i am on my trainin runs, 

also do similar to also run......5 miles is this run....4 miles is just asdas and back.etc