Mental Focus

I took this from the Ehow website:

The excitement of race day often gets you through the marathon itself. The real challenge of the marathon might be the weeks and months of training.

Instructions:
Step One
"Be truly motivated to train for a marathon," says marathon legend Grete Waitz. "Do it for yourself, not on a bet or because 'everyone else does'."

Step Two
Use your mind. Even though your body does the work of running, your mind can help the training go better.

Step Three
Stay relaxed. Do this by self-talk and mental tricks, such as breaking up the distance into smaller segments. For example, tell yourself, "Take it five miles at a time." Focus on each segment separately.

Step Four
Keep up the pace. Mark off a mile segment that you can use to check your time at the beginning, middle, or near the end of your training run.

Step Five
Coach yourself with comments like, "relax and flow" and "keep it steady." On uphill climbs, for example, remind yourself to "shorten your stride, lift those knees."

Step Six
Use imagery. Visualize yourself in the actual marathon, running strongly and successfully.

Step Seven
Concentrate. It's okay to let your mind wander at times, but practice bringing it into the here and now. Focus on your pace, your breathing, or the weather.

Tips & Warnings

• Use these techniques in all practice runs - even recovery runs - and eventually they'll be automatic.
  
• Acknowledge your fears and nervousness. This is part of the challenge. After you accept them, try to release them.
  
• Practice drinking and eating in training in preparation for the marathon.
  
• Train with a group or a friend for inspiration and support