5 tips to help you mentally prepare for your next race, from a sports psychologist

As temperatures fall, more runners are hitting the Lake Front Trail in training for races across the city. Michele Kerulis (BS ’00), EdD, LCPC, CMPC, is the director of the Chicago Psyching Team, which partners with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon to support runners’ mental health. Read her tips to mentally prepare for your next race.  

1. Make a mental plan

When you sign up for a race, you typically commit to a training regimen in which you steadily increase your distance. Kerulis suggests making a mental plan as well. “Most people have lives outside of running,” Kerulis says. “[Make] sure that you schedule downtime … to make sure you still move forward with your life responsibilities at the same time you’re training.” 

2. Find a story to tell yourself

Some people run for an inspiring cause. Others want to prove to themselves they can do it. Kerulis says a runner’s reason for running will become their mantra when they feel down, which will inevitably happen while training. “It does something to the brain to just give them a little extra pep in their step to keep moving forward,” Kerulis says. 

3. Welcome the rollercoaster of emotions

“Expect to have a pretty significant fluctuation in emotions,” Kerulis said. “When people first sign up for the marathon, they tend to be really excited and can’t wait to do it,” she added. Then, as runners progress to longer distances, everything becomes more difficult. “Once people experience a little bit of difficulty, what I see is the emotions go from excitement, enthusiasm, and motivation to a lot of what-ifs and a lot of self-doubt.” Return to your “why,” Kerulis suggests, while reminding yourself that all these emotions are normal. 

4. Keep a positive attitude

Practice positive self-talk and develop go-to statements. While you can’t control everything, you can do your best to control your mind and nurture your love of running, Kerulis says. For example, instead of thinking, “This run is too difficult,” reframe to “This is a difficult run, and I will keep going—I can do this.” 

5. Consider setbacks part of training

Everyone will have some type of setback, like an injury or a life situation impacting training. Instead of letting this become a barrier, do your best to accept that setbacks are guaranteed. The Psyching Team suggests learning techniques like diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation to help in these moments. “Don’t count setbacks as failures,” Kerulis says. “Just think about them as a part of training and a cue for you to be kind to yourself.”

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