Visualising

<visualising a boing>

What does that mean?

I was boinging this thread up for someone!...just thought i'd stay on topic

Happened to me too weeks before NYC marathon. Sequences like a movie clip were constantly playing through my mind. This helped me during the training too.

I sometimes wonder if those that describe themselves as plodders - or who are constantly self depracating about their running - aren't limiting their achievements. I'd hate this to sound like an insult because I know I limit myself in different areas of my life too and I am not suggesting being positive is in any way easy. I know I've run races in a negative frame of mind and done poorly and I am sure that it was a case of not being properly focussed.

It sounds like crap but the last race I did I found repeating John Fashanu's mantra (I told you it sounded like crap!) ReFeCo helped a bit - Relax Focus Come On! Also trying to submerge yourself into the feeling of running and block out extraneous thoughts - and associating with the pain rather than worrying about it - are both helpful.

I agree popsider that some 'plodders' and other runners too, are limiting their own achievements. It's important not to compare your own running to others when measuring progress (although hard not to do)..

I am a slow runner and although I had read various articles on visualisation etc, just thought it was for hard/fast/very competitive runners. However an experience a couple of years ago changed my mind.

I was running the Robin Hood Marathon, at my usual 5 hour + pace, when at mile 22ish a police motorcyclist offered to lead me for the next mile or so along the coned section of road, where we turned through Notts Forest ground. So there we were, the police bike with blue flashing lights, the traffic at a standstill on the otherside of the road - and suddenly I felt really proud and important, my head automatically went up, the pain in my legs was forgotten and I started to stride out down that road, I ran my fastest mile of the race. I thanked the MPC, and finished the rest of the race in my best marathon time that year, and from that point on I have continued to set PB's every year in various distances, mainly because I believe I can do it and visualise myself striding along. Before I just told myself that I was doing too many distance events to improve on time and this was affecting my shorter race times - rubbish. I just never thought I could do it.

okay not everyone can complete at the Olympics, but David Hemery was a keen exponent of visualisation. When he won gold in the 400mhurdles at the 68 Olympics (in a new world record) he did so from lane eight. Traditionally, lane eight has always been the least favoured by any athlete. When asked if he had been worried about running on the outside he replied that he hadn't been worried at all as he had spent many hours visualising himself winning the race from every lane and in every type of condition. Winning from lane eight proved no problem as he had already 'seen' himself do it.

So, there you go...

so there's nothing wrong with our legs - it's our brains that need training..

Yes shades, you are absolutely right! The point is, if you are fit enough to run 6 miles (which, let's face it, many people probably are without realising it) how well you run that 6 miles is down much more to your brain power than your muscle power.