15 Key Mental Attributes and Approaches of Elite Runners to Race Day: Introduction
The longer I coach, the more I respect how much a person’s mindset and attitude influences their ability to perform when it counts. It’s easy to believe champions are simply more talented and that’s why they win. That’s a cop out and not often the case.
I’ve coached highly talented runners who were chronic under performers and workhorses who had little natural ability but willed themselves into winners through drive and work ethic. 1960 Olympic 1500m champion Herb Elliott said, “There’s probably going to be a quantum leap forward when we understand our minds better.” And former marathon world-record Derek Clayton added, “The difference between my world record and my world class runners is mental fortitude. I ran believing in mind over matter.”
They’re right. The mind matters. Conditioning our state of mind is just as important as conditioning our bodies.
Below is a list of 15 key mental attributes and approaches of elite runners on race day, adopted from the Lore of Running:
Concentrate on a single goal during training.
Put more into competition than training.
Have confidence in one’s ability to perform up to expectation.
Accurately judge competitive ability.
Have a detailed competitive and training strategy.
Be ready and willing to respond to the unexpected.
Mentally prepare to meet challenging circumstances.
Do not get distracted before competition
Have the ability to regain composure before competition.
Be able to relax and focus on what matters most.
Embrace novel circumstances.
Be unconcerned about other competitors.
Be autonomous during warm-ups.
Have Race day rituals.
Exhibit useful levels of competitive arousal.
Over the next 15 blog posts I’ll examine each one of these in-depth. Every high performing runner I’ve coached has exhibited some, if not all, of these mental attributes and approaches. Training and talent aside, this stuff really is the difference maker when it comes to competing repeatedly at a high level. And I think it’s worth exploring so both coach and athlete alike can work towards enhancing the mental side of training and performance.