@chesterbells
If we’re relating directly to racing I would rank them as follows:
1 - 5 percent
2 - 20 percent
3 - 20 percent
4 - 55 percent
1/2 I really only use to distract myself from the run, during periods where I am struggling. It’s not for pleasure just a coping mechanism to reduce my
perceived effort.
I have two distinct coping mechanisms.
In the latter stages of races, particularly when running fast (parkruns) or faster to finish out a long race. I try to externalise, and distract myself, by counting to 20/30/40/60 and then repeating a number of times before I look at my watch to see how far I have left. Usually use this on the last 1/2k.
During other periods of the race I often try smiling and tell myself how much I enjoy running, how lovely the day is etc, what a beautiful location etc. apparently they are great methods of controlling how hard you feel like your working.
The rest of the race (Point 4) I typically focus on my form, checking splits, trying to hold onto people, building ‘pretend’ rivalries to help motivate myself.
Yesterday I ran a trail half marathon and all those factors came into play. It was a struggle from the word go and the races got merged quite early on so I was unsure who my competitors were.
Therefore during tough periods, early on, I kept a telling myself how much I loved this, how beautiful a day it was, how happy I felt, how I have chosen to do this because of the feeling at the end etc.
At 15k the half marathoners did an extra loop and so for the first time (since very early on) I knew who my immediate competitors were. One bloke 200 metres ahead and one 200 metres behind. Immediately my mind switched, I was in a race, and that was a great motivator although my first fear was what I could lose not what I could gain (more worried about the bloke behind than catching the bloke in front).
I managed to catch the bloke in front and maintain my distance from the bloke behind who, like myself, had picked up the pace. Came home in 8th in 1:40:26 which was ok, but because of the merging fields I actually thought I was 4th.
There is a book by Alex Hutchinson called ‘Endure’ which discusses all these issues and quotes academic papers on the subject, speaks to experts like Tim Noakes on the Central Governor Theory etc. Bit dry in parts but full of useful info.
