Simple Mental Strategy for Racing – The Three C’s
Three C’s…
Comfortable Confidence
Compete
Running is physical, but success is mental.
The difference between finishing a race strong and proud versus crumbling at the end rarely comes down to physical limitations, but instead lies in your mental game. It’s rare, or arguably downright impossible, to push ourselves to our absolute limit in a race, so having a mental approach to racing and giving it equal weight to your physical preparation is of utmost importance.
My favorite mental strategy for most distance running events is to break the race down into three parts. In each part, your mental energy should be spent focusing on just one word: “Comfortable,” “Confidence,” or “Compete.”
| Distance | 5K | 10K | 13.1M | 26.2M |
| Comfortable | Mile 1 | Miles 1-2 | Miles 1-5 | Miles 1-10 |
| Confidence | Mile 2 | Miles 3-4 | Miles 6-10 | Miles 11-20 |
| Compete | Mile 3 | Miles 5-6.2 | Miles 10-13.1 | Miles 20-26.2 |
Part One – Comfortable
Distance races are never won or lost in the beginning, but it’s the easiest place for your race to go sour fast. Starting line energy and excitement tricks most runners into starting waayyyyyy too hard and fast.
The goals of the start of any race should be to 1) get into the right position in the field and 2) stay comfortable.
Comfortable, comfortable… comfortable.
The first third should feel easy. You will be going race pace, but it won’t even feel like it. The hard part will come. Don’t be tricked by the ease of the early race and run too fast. Run according to plan.
Think… “comfortable, comfortable, comfortable.”
Part Two – Confidence
The mid-race.
This is where you just need to settle in and stay the course. This middle section could be as short as a few minutes in a shorter race, or over an hour in a marathon. The key is to get through it and reach the final part of the race feeling strong.
Gain confidence.
You are approaching half-way now…. and now you are over half-way.
This is distance running. It’s simple. Just keep turning over your legs. How much further now? Can you hold this pace? You’ve come this far already, so of course, you can. Gain confidence. You’ve done this before in training.
Think “confidence, confidence, confidence.”
If any negative thought comes into your mind, counter it with the positive affirmation: “I will do this.”
Part Three – Compete
This is where the racing starts.
The final stretch. Just one mile to go in the 5K or six miles to go in the marathon. Your goal in any distance race is to get to this point feeling strong. You can always make up time in the final stretch if the opening two parts were a little slow. Now that you’ve practiced staying comfortable and gaining confidence, it’s time to fly!
This is where you start to compete. Part Three is what separates success from failure. It’s a mental game. If you made it this far with comfort and confidence, it won’t be physical fatigue that threatens your race, it is mental. But, you won’t let that happen.
Dig in. Why are you doing this race? What are you trying to prove? Who and what are you running for? You love racing. It’s why you are here. So give it 100%. It will be hard, but a few moments of pain are worth it for the everlasting satisfaction you will have in your success.
This is what the training was for. All those weeks and months of hard workouts come down to the final stretch of your race. Don’t give up. Stay confident. Forget comfort. Go all out.
Finish the race, high-five your competition, and enjoy your victory!
Join the Conversation
What’s your mental strategy for breaking down races? Do you notice a difference when you use a mental strategy versus not? Let me know.
