1. It’s happening again. A few days before the big race and I’m slacking off. I know I’m supposed to taper, but tapering doesn’t mean putting a stop to training. It’s just doing a little less. I had big plans for this week but I’ve only run once and each day that I’ve come home from work intending to do some training I was too exhausted to do anything but eat dinner and go to bed. Fingers crossed I fit in a run tomorrow.
2. I’m getting way ahead of myself. Instead of focusing on Sunday, or even just each day at a time I’m looking too far ahead. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow let alone next week or next month. Sure, planning is necessary but too much planning can get in the way of actually getting anything done hence the lack of training this week.
3. Visualisation is an important part of training, or at least I’ve heard. When you run, do you ever visualise an upcoming race? I’ve been doing that a lot lately. The marathon in my sights as I run on the treadmill imagining the first 10km, then the next 10, and the next and finally the last twelve or so kilometres and how I’m going to feel with each one. I try to be realistic, I know that the first half isn’t going to be too hard, the middle is going to be tough, and the last part has the ability to tear me to shreds if I don’t stay mentally strong. May this is why visualisation helps. I know that the worst that might happen is I’ll have to walk a portion. While that would be frustrating it would be much worse not crossing the finish line at all.
