Ask the Coach: How to overcome negative thoughts and build confidence for marathon success

I didn’t finish a half marathon last year, and now when I race, I seem to have negative thoughts that I won’t finish the race. I have the London Marathon this year. Can you recommend any techniques to be more positive and confident that I will finish the race?

Henri

Running coach answer: How to overcome negative thoughts

Confidence is a big aspect of performance, and it can be so easily knocked – I ran about forty marathons in my career, and I didn’t finish five of them.

Between getting third place in the 1982 London Marathon and taking the bronze medal in the marathon at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games later the same year, I dropped out of the UK Championships in Gateshead. Dropping out in the UK Champs was the first time I had dropped out of a race, and I was really disappointed.

How did I turn it around to run a personal best marathon at the Commonwealth Games four months later?

Firstly, I reflected on why I had dropped out. Part of the reason was that I started too quickly, combined with the unusually warm June weather on that day of the UK Championships marathon. Secondly, I reasoned that I may have overtrained after the London Marathon three months earlier.

Taking these thoughts logically, it was important not to make the same mistake again, so I changed my training so that I could build up gradually to the Commonwealth Games. Also, because it was to be hot in Brisbane at the Games, I spent two weeks during the summer holidays training in Corfu, which had a similar climate to that expected in Brisbane.

I also concentrated on running shorter races and rebuilt my confidence in racing again – so by the time the Commonwealth Games came around, I had dispelled the negative thoughts from the drop-out and was sure that I had trained well this time.

I also deliberately gave positive thoughts on a strategy for the Commonwealth and at the runners taking part. There were a few that I thought would be tough to beat: Rob d’Castella from Australia was the world record holder, and Gidamis Shahanga from Tanzania was the returning champion. But there were others I knew I could beat if I got it right, including John Graham of Scotland, who had won Rotterdam in 2.09.

As it turned out, d’Castella won the title for Australia, and a new star, Juma Ikaanga of Tanzania, came second, and I overtook Shahanga and John Gramham in the last few miles to take bronze.

My advice to you would be to look to take comfort from how your racing and training have gone – visualise finishing the marathon and how it might be at various parts of the route. It gets tough for everyone at the marathon – try to visualise building your pace and passing fading competitors.

Sure, you will have some doubts, but be reassured that everyone else does too, and your expectations will seesaw in the days before the race, but make sure you go in with a positive plan that includes seeing yourself crossing the finish line.

PS. For the record, the other marathons I pulled out of were due to a back injury – once I got over a two-year problem with it, I bounced back and ran 2.17 at the Marrakesh Marathon, 2.17 at the Paris Marathon, 2.18 at the Berlin Marathon, 2.20 at the Manilla Marathon, and my final marathon, 2.17 at the Cleveland Marathon, Ohio.

Positive thinking!

Have a running training question? Ask Mike for free, and we’ll share the answer online for everyone to benefit! Send your question over to us today.

Join our mailing list to stay up to date with the latest UK running events, training tips, and exclusive offers on running products. Rest assured, we value your privacy and would never dream of selling your address. Sign up now…