Week 10 is another recovery step-back week. This weekend?s long run is reduced from last weekend?s distance. It?s a good time to assess how you are doing. Over the last 8 weeks, we have covered several physical aspects of marathon training, including mileage plan, training intensity, stretch and strength training, avoiding injury, diet, running kit and so on. This week, we look at a major psychological aspect: MOTIVATION. Are you still focused or finding excuses not to train?

You know your vision: to finish a marathon either by walking or running. You probably have a target time. Or you may have decided to take part in one of the other events: the half-marathon, the 10-km run or the 5-km run. Your vision is the foundation of motivation, providing answers to the inevitable whys of training. Since you know your vision, you are mentally part-way there.

Consider where you are now, your current state of mind. Include your strengths and weaknesses. What do you do well? Do you look forward to your runs? Are you managing the training around commitments? When running, are you focused on good techniques such as hydration, warm-up, cool-down, training intensity and form? We have days when we are ?on? and have a great workout. Remember your mental state when you were last ?on? ? how can you achieve this state more often?

Next, you need to determine how to get from your current state to your vision. One of the basic psychological principles is to move towards your most dominant thoughts. Your dominant thoughts are therefore a key to how well you achieve your training objectives. Adopting some of the following simple mental training techniques can create a strong motivational foundation. It leads to improved training performance and greater enjoyment.

Self-talk: Often, the mind interprets training stress as negative and sends negative messages to the consciousness, such as ?this is uncomfortable, slow down?. Practising positive statements, can develop new habits leading you to think positively during training. Use brief statements such as ?Yes?, ?Strong?, ?Powerful?, ?Relaxed?. Develop several positive statements with a personal meaning, focusing on your strengths, and practise them regularly during warm up and the run.

Positive thought-patterns: There is no point focusing energy on uncontrollable things such as the weather. Focus energy on what you can do for your best performance. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a situation, focus and talk to yourself about the positive. This can help in the worst conditions of a run. You empower yourself to succeed.

Lying to your mind: If there is a particular aspect of training that you dislike, simply lie to yourself. For example, someone who dislikes running hills can over a period of time grow to like them, by telling himself over and over that one he likes running hills. Doing this before going out and running can have significant effects, as the brain gradually accepts the repeated statement as a truth.

Focusing skills: Focusing on running activity rather than dissociating - thinking about other things - is a significant factor in athletic performance. To determine if you have the correct focus while training, ask yourself: ?What am I doing right now?? and ?Are my thoughts helping me now?? A habit of focusing attention is developed when these question are asked regularly, stopping focus from drifting. If drifting is experienced, shift attention to positive statements and then back to the activity. Start paying attention for short periods (15 seconds) and lengthen the period as focusing skills improve.

Start running with a body part in mind, for example arm movement. Over-exaggerate the arm action slightly, and focus on bringing it through purposefully. Concentrating on one part of the body encourages the rest of the body to flow naturally.

Changing how you think and replacing ineffective thought patterns, takes dedication. Positive thinking is a skill that can be learnt.

Finally, two common problems tackled:

Getting out of the door: Sometimes, the biggest problem. Most runners will find an excuse to put off a run. Mind games can give the push needed:

First, relax. Take the stress out of the run. Tell yourself the run is not so important and missing it is not a disaster.

Then, do something positive: have a pre-run snack. Listen to some music while eating. Music has positive associations making you feel good.

Next, put on your running kit. It is the most comfortable clothing you have.

Finally, find an excuse to go outside. Check that the car is locked; inspect the garden. Within two minutes, you?ll head down the road and wonder why you didn?t go straight out in the first place.

Beat the routine: Sometimes the problem is running the same routes. You might be in better physical shape, but your mind is fatigued by routine. It needs mental revitalisation. Variety is the key. Find and measure a number of different running routes from home or the office. Discover new roads and paths. Drive to Black River Gorges and run in the Macchabee Forest. It?s an opportunity to see more of Mauritius than you normally do.

Lastly, don?t forget to smile and even laugh at yourself.

by Richard Mohacsi