Head Games: Dealing With Mentally Tough Races

The picture accompanying this blog was taken at the finish of the Drake Half Marathon last year. Like most half marathons, I am certainly tired. I’m also dealing with a throbbing IT band in my left knee. But I’ve also had my best time on that course. So, despite my looking as though I’m about to crumble into a middle-aged heap, I’m actually very pleased with that time and outcome for reasons I’m about to get into.

I’ve been training these past several weeks for this year's Drake Half Marathon on Sunday, April 24th. For those unfamiliar with it, this race starts and finishes at the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, winding through surrounding neighborhoods. Outside of finishing on the Blue Oval - Drake’s gorgeous track - the event is all on road. It’s extremely well organized with plenty of water stations and volunteers. Each mile is marked. It takes place late enough in April that winter weather typically isn’t an issue. But I find it perhaps my most mentally challenging race.

Reason I say that is because it meanders through residential streets with all these well-kept older homes. To some that would be appealing as those are lovely houses in nice neighborhoods. But to me, it’s not long before every house looks pretty the same as the one next to it. From there, one residential street becomes another before another turn leads me to another street with these same homes before making yet another turn and so on and so on. After a couple miles, it all becomes incredibly monotonous, making it feel as though I’m going absolutely nowhere. This makes every mile feel that much longer. That’s why I consider this a difficult race from a mental standpoint.

I’ve no doubt there are a number of others who participate in that race that find the course quite engaging for the same reasons that it doesn’t work for me. I wish I was one of them. But that’s not the point of this blog. It’s how I try to deal with what’s in my head so that I can have a good race. Let me add that these same concepts apply to other mentally challenging races such as the Capital Pursuit (which ironically runs through parts of this same neighborhood.)

First and foremost is PATIENCE. If there's one single prerequisite for a race of this distance, it’s patience. Thirteen point one miles is a long distance that take at least a certain amount of time to finish at even a PR pace. Patience in this instance is more than avoiding a quick start that could ruin the outcome of the race. It’s realizing that those first four are as essential to a successful finish as the last four. It’s about accepting that these miles must be completed before reaching a third or half of the race. That means don’t waste energy thinking you’ve got nine or ten miles remaining. Instead, make certain that your pace is comfortable and savor the experience of being in the race. I went thirty-five years between half marathons. That I now do several of them a year is something that would have been impossible prior to 2018. (It’s a story I’ll likely share in a future blog.) But be grateful for that moment that you can compete. And if you can enjoy the scenery, now’s the time to do so.

Another essential facet for me is my PLAYLIST. As indicated in previous blogs, I’m a huge music geek and that music is an essential part of my running. That’s most apparent in races where I meticulously develop a playlist to help my performance. In most races, the tendency is to load up the latter part with the killer tracks to either maintain or kick up my energy level. (You won’t hear me using any Air Supply or Bread songs at this part of the race.) But knowing that the tedious aspect of the Drake Half Marathon starts early for me, I try to “season” the playlist with songs that will either give me an early boost or serve as a nice distraction. Last year, I had Foo Fighters “Shame Shame” and Generation X’s “Dancing With Myself” during miles three and four for that reason. The former was a song I really like and the latter took me back to my college days, letting my mind wander as I realized that I used to have them in my head when I ran track for Umpqua Community College back in 1981. (Yes, I’m really old.) Both helped me also find a second wind.

It also helps me to FOCUS ON OTHER RUNNERS. Outside of the final quarter mile, it would definitely qualify as a bad tactical move to sprint ahead of anyone in a half marathon. But because of the distance, I will look at who is ahead of me, whether that’s a group of runners or a single competitor. Single runners can be hard to predict. They may be slowing down or speeding up at a pace beyond mine. However, it’s my experience that if I’ve been smart with my pace and stay patient (there’s that word again!) I will eventually catch up with them. Taking the time to do that also whittles down that total distance.

USING THE GARMIN APPROPRIATELY is another important component for me to address the mental part of a race. Along with the obvious break in the monotony, seeing the mile splits tells me immediately how I’m doing. If the pace is slower than anticipated and my legs are up to it, then a gradual - and I mean gradual - increase in speed occurs. But the flipside is equally important. If my pace is a bit fast, I need to carefully assess what happens next. I may ease it back a tad or maintain that pace - contingent on how I’m feeling. Picking up the pace from there is much riskier. I did that in last year’s Drake at the eight mile mark, causing my IT band to flare up at the next mile, slowing my pace and leading to several weeks of challenges afterwards. But whatever I do once I know my mile split, I strive to avoid “clock watching.” Unless I’m really concerned about my pace, I adamantly refuse to look at my watch unless or until I hear that magical “beep” telling me that there's another mile under my belt. Nothing makes a race (or workout) go longer than continually checking the watch. “Let’s see, that’s 6.3 miles…6.4 miles….6.5…”)

With a mentally tough race like Drake, SELF MOTIVATION also becomes essential. Particularly in the last few miles. We all know that fatigue becomes a key factor at this point for every competitor. For me, I consider my pace. If it’s been a decent one for me, then there’s the idea that after going nine or ten miles, I don’t want to blow it. I tell myself that when I’m thinking about this race in the following weeks or months, I’ll look back on this moment as one where I held on to maintain a good finish. I continually tell myself that if I’ve made it this far, I can finish the job. It’s most exhilarating if you know you’re on a PR pace for that race or event. That definitely makes those final painful miles go that much easier. If I’ve done my job on the playlist, this is also where I have some ass-kicking, personal-light-my-fire selections that push every right button from the neck up and waist down. Ideally, these songs help form a “mental video” that I will later associate with that song. This happened in 2019 at Drake with Men At Work’s “Overkill” as we were heading into that final mile. Now, whenever I hear that song, I immediately think of that stadium and the Blue Oval track.

To varying extents these techniques apply in all my races - except for the Red Flannel Run in February when the windchill is past ten below. Then the only thing keeping me going is the thought of being inside a warm building afterwards and what will in my mind be standing under a hot shower for at least six hours.

It goes without saying that none of this is a substitute for proper training. Speedwork has helped me find greater endurance for not only the race, but dealing with the inevitable fatigue that will become an increasing issue with each mile. It also goes without saying that cheers and encouragement provide a nice boost. I should also apologize that between my music and focus, I can miss someone calling out words of encouragement. Trust me, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. It’s more that I have The Talking Heads turned up too loud.

That’s a glimpse into my mindscape. It’s my guess that none of this deviates greatly from the techniques you utilize as well. I’m certainly interested in learning how you address these challenges. And to everyone that I’ll see at the Drake Half Marathon (and in any other races) - “Best Wishes for a Great Run!”