When scientists began studying sports physiology back in the 19th century the perception was that humans were machines; forced to stop when our muscles ran out of energy. We know now that this is absolutely not the case, and that even when you feel you have reached exhaustion your muscles are still capable of producing power. What mainly stops us is not our physiology but our psychology. We have learnt that our ability to get the most from ourselves comes from the brain and is down to ‘effort-based decision making’.
Marathon runners get to influence their effort-based decision making in two ways: firstly by increasing their motivation and, once that is maxed out, by reducing perception of effort (better thought of as ‘making it feel easier’). Motivation is usually pretty easy for runners to find but perception of effort needs more thought – so here are 10 simple techniques to try out and make that marathon feel just that little bit more achievable.
Reduce mental fatigue
A marathon doesn’t just need a physical taper – we also need to be mentally rested. A study on runners doing a 5K run found those who had used lots of mental effort beforehand ran slower than those who were mentally fresh. This means you need to proactively plan a mental taper ahead of your marathon, and try not to get tempted to squeeze in extra work with the additional time you have during that last week.
If … then…
Mara Yamauchi, even with her 2:23:12 marathon PB, needed many tools to get her through her pro career and lists lots in her book Marathon Wisdom. One great suggestion is the idea of an ‘If … then plan’ where you 'think through various scenarios that could happen and how you would react.' Start by writing down the worries you have about race day (even those which feel silly) and next to each consider what you would like to do in that moment if it does happen so you are able to respond (which is usually a good and logical decision) rather than react (which is often emotional and dramatic).
Bracing
Studies have found that if we learn to accept unpleasant feelings as something that must be endured we cope better and our perception of effort reduces. Before a marathon we do this by ‘bracing ourselves’ for the discomfort ahead. The aim is not to make it too scary but instead of trying to control or resist the fears, lean into them; embracing the fact you are doing something difficult.
Caffeine
External help in reducing your perception of effort can come from caffeine. There are a number of theories as to why it would help; some suggest it inhibits certain neurotransmitters in the brain, others believe it speeds up response times and there is a further idea that it reduces the impact of mental fatigue. Whatever the reason, if you are a strong responder to caffeine and have the gene which metabolises it quickly then using it in the second half of your race can reduce your perception of effort and give you a much-needed boost.
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‘Smile every mile’
Smiling is so simple that it feels too easy to be beneficial but research has found it can reduce an athlete’s perception of effort, increase their positive thoughts and improve running economy. Presenter and journalist Anna Harding used this knowledge with a ‘smile a mile’ mantra at the Berlin Marathon in 2021. 'I had had injury troubles in the lead up. When they flared up only 7 or 8kms in, I knew it was going to be a slog to get to the finish line. Remembering to smile and enjoy the atmosphere and the privilege of being able to be in a mass participation race again meant that my mind was taken off the pain and I actually enjoyed what could have turned out to be a very different experience.'
Find the fun
You have a long day in front of you so you may as well try to enjoy it. You can distract yourself from the miles ahead by looking for things to make you smile: the best supporter sign, your favourite costume, or take the approach Thomas Otter uses in his marathons of reviewing feed stops in the style of a restaurant critic: 'Table 2. Water perfectly chilled, immaculate service and presentation in a biodegradable cup. Banana neatly sliced, ripe but not squishy.' Anything that gives you a giggle and relief from the discomfort in your body is fair game.
How do you eat an elephant… one bite at a time
Standing on the start line and realising you have 26.2 miles to run can be daunting. Chunking is a technique where you break down the distance into bits that feel much more manageable and have a goal or a treat for each one. You can chunk into distance, landmarks, places you’ll see supporters or based on nutrition consumption. 45-year-old Hannah Storm is a big fan of chunking. 'I break the distance down into something I know I can manage, a marathon is 6 x 7k, and every time I start the new 7k, I pretend it's just me going out on a run for that distance. When I finish, I reward myself with something like a gel.'
Mental maths
A very specific element within chunking that can be effective is doing mental arithmetic. Whether it is tallying up the number of houses you run past, calculating the distance left from miles to kilometres or counting backwards from 1000, mental maths is a great distraction tool. Professional singer Amy Blythe uses maths in all her races: 'Mentally it makes the distance more manageable, keeps me distracted and stops the negative thoughts creeping in when I get tired.'
Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
All marathon runners use some elements of distraction, but the faster you run the more likely you are to also use a focus technique. A great one is a body check where you regularly monitor your body to adjust your pace, strategy or movement. You can do it each time you pass a drinks station or go past mile markers. A nice way to do this can be to sing the ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ song in your head as you scan down your body making sure your form is as it should be in each area.
Instructional mantra
Finally, keeping in mind your form and technique, you can create your instructional mantra. This is the short phrase you repeat in your head to remind your body how you run at your best. It is often the phrase a coach would remind you about in a training session. Mine is ‘head up’ but yours might be about your body position, placement or technique.
So, head up into your marathon, smile when it gets tricky and pick a tool to make it feel easier.
