by Barbara J, Walker, Ph.D.

1. Create a Goal.
Whether this is your first or fourteenth marathon, you should approach the marathon with some kind of goal. Just make it realistic, personal, and challenging. You'll thank yourself for it later by being able to remind yourself at mile 22 why in the world you're out there doing such a thing! Examples of goals may be just to finish, to run the entire race without walking, to maintain a particular pace, or to run a personal best.

2. Relax.
To master the art of relaxation, you must begin early. Practicing techniques such as deep breathing and/or listening to restful music before going to bed at night will allow you to feel how you want to feel on the morning of and during the race. The objective is to learn to relax your mind and body on cue so that you can duplicate this state on race day. Don't worry - it's rare for someone to feel too relaxed the day of the race. Most people have a tendency to be too psyched up in the morning. Tense muscles and stressful thoughts cause you to lose energy before you even begin the race!

3. Stay Positive.
This is crucial for when things get tough. Athletes at all levels that I've worked with have told me that they knew they were in trouble when they'd begin to think negative thoughts during competition. They stop believing in themselves, decrease their original goal, and at the very least, slow down. Practice a few words or phrases during training so that you are ready to go during the race. Say the words aloud or to yourself just to get yourself through the tough spots. Several popular words are: "focus", "I can do this", "Just get through the next five minute (repeated ? times)".

4. Visualize Success.
Create your own happy ending. Practice seeing yourself meet the realistic goal you've set. Additionally, imagine how you want your body to feel before and during the race - feeling light, having a smooth stride, a relaxed form and mind.

5. Remain Focused.
The best way to remain focused during training is to actually have a realistic training schedule in place. If all of your training is written out ahead of time, then you don't have to think about what you're going to do. This becomes especially important when you train at five in the morning and it's ten degrees outside. Additionally, if your training times are written down, you are more likely to follow through with it and not allow other activities to take precedence. During the race, it is important to stay focused as well. Allowing yourself to be distracted by the scenery and crowds is okay for a short period of time, but be sure to bring the focus back on yourself and your running for the majority of the race, making sure you're staying in touch with how your body feels, what your body needs, and that you’re meeting your time goals.

6. Take One Mile at a Time.
Similar to the positive statement I suggested earlier about getting through the next five minutes, splitting the race up into small segments may help you get through the race. It makes the large task more conquerable. For example, I like to separate a marathon into six segments - the first 1.2 miles, then five more five miles. I then only think about one segment at a time. Once a segment is over, I forget about it and only focus on the current segment. Before you know it, it's over!

7. Allow For Flexibility.
Being flexible is important in training and racing. While training, we all have other obligations, like family and work that may take precedence causing us to miss a workout. Additionally, sometimes you may be too sore or tired to follow through with a scheduled session. If you need to miss a workout, it is okay. Don't allow yourself to get stressed and certainly don't try to make up for it another time. One or two missed workouts will not affect your performance for the marathon either way. Be nice to yourself and let it go. It is also important to allow for flexibility during the race. As much as we plan, ideal and perfect conditions are not usually present. You may have calculated what time you'd like to do the first mile in, but soon find that it took that much time for you to get over the start line. It may be more crowded than you expected, you may not have been able to get as much water as you wanted, you may develop cramps, and/or have inclement weather...the possibilities are endless. If any of these happen, just renegotiate your goal and pace and allow yourself to make the best of any unforeseen circumstance.

8. Have Fun.
This is the most important. Kids number one reason for participating is sport is FUN. All retired athletes I've spoken with who quit their sport other than injury said it was because they weren't having fun anymore. If you're not, don't do it – find something else to do. Life is too short. It is important for runners to be aware of and continuously work on fine-tuning their mental skills, no matter what level they are competing. Remember that everyone can be a better performer than they are currently. Only you determine your limits!

Editor's Note: Dr. Walker is an Ironman triathlete and Boston Marathoner, as well as a Sport Psychologist in private practice. She is available for individual and group consultation, as well as half-and full day workshops. She may be reached through e-mail or by phone at 513.961.8400.