Just Imagine that you are running the final 4.2 miles of your next marathon. Your legs are getting heavy, and your body is tiring. Up until now, you have hit each mile basically on pace for Boston Qualification. All you need to do is push past the pain and keep on running the same steady marathon pace that your body knows too well. Can you do it? Can you keep the pace and hit your long sought after BQ?
My playlist was already there when I set foot on the treadmill today. The songs – selected for that perfect amount of motivation to get me through – were helping to paint the picture of those final miles at CIM. I’ve been here twice before. I have known pain and suffering at this point. I have had to drag my weary body down this same path with the disappointment of knowing that there was no way that I would hit my BQ. Today, I will change that picture in my mind and run the course for a successful finish.
I set the ‘mill to approximetely 9 minute/mile pace and let me feet get into the groove as I listened to the music. I like to Move It played. It seemed fitting as I enjoyed the warm up and began to visualize the race course.
By the time I’d completed the first 1/2 mile, I had the ‘mill speed up to my marathon pace. If You’re Going Through Hell played on my iPod. This song reminds me of all of the struggles this year that I’ve gotten through. I imagined being at about mile 23 on the race course. This is the point in the race were your body can give you the impression that you are going through hell. “Keep on moving…”
Later in my work out, Eye of the Tiger began to play. I could imagine seeing the palm trees that line the final couple of miles. In my mind flashed Rocky running down the street in the rain and later triumphantly climbing the stairs. It’s now or never I though as I increased the pace a little more on the ‘mill.
When Move It on Over was playing I could see me running past other runners. I could begin to feel the finish line, and see other runners who have finished earlier – wearing their medals proudly.
As the songs played, I got closer to the finish until finally, I could see the capital building and the finish line. I could see the clock. I finished up strong…
So strong, that I hit the weights for some strength training.
Visualization is so underrated and misunderstood. It’s excellent that you are incorporating it into your training. You go, girl!!
This article, like so many of your others, is fantastic. I enjoy your writing style and knowledgeable incites.
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Just a thought, consider to set that pace goal for 3-5 minutes under BQ time if you can, and plan to meet it or better yet beat it. Then you can properly enjoy that last mile in, it’ll be the best feeling in all of the world. We are rooting for you!
Visualization is important for marathons – thanks for the encouragement to use it! You sound ready for the CIM. I’ll be cheering for you out here on the east coast.
Keep it up, Julie, you can do it!
Great Post! The mental training is just as important as those long runs.