Race morning: Fill your time wisely.
The complex logistics of big-city events can mean runners must rise early to board a bus, train, or ferry, then sit or stand around for hours waiting for the race to begin. As you create your pre-performance plan, make sure you consider that period. "This is really a tempting time to start worrying about the race and dissecting your performance before it happens," Beilock says.
Decide ahead of time on a strategy to either distract you or create positive, performance-enhancing feelings, Gaudette says. Divert your attention by reading a book, playing games on your phone, or creating a mood-boosting playlist and listening to it on repeat. Cheadle recalls one athlete she met who wiled away the hours making up sweet, funny stories about the other runners around him. Build confidence by reflecting on your training and your previous achievements, scheduling a call with a supportive friend, or writing down and reading over a list of affirmations that make you feel strong and powerful (for instance, "This is my race," or "I trust my training.").
Race start: Tune out.
Most runners have heard going out too fast increases the risk of burning out later. Verbal encouragement from spectators and competition from the field both lower your rate of perceived exertion, or how hard you must work to run a given pace, according to a new review article published in the journal Sports Medicine. "You believe you're more capable than you really are, you feel less effort, and you go too fast," says study author Samuele Marcora, Ph.D., of the University of Kent. However, your muscles don't get this memo and fatigue more quickly than if you begin at an appropriate pace, Marcora's research shows. That fatigue causes many runners to "hit the wall" and slow down later in the race.
You can't truly ignore the atmosphere—even if you put in earplugs, your brain would still process the signals subliminally, Marcora says. But understand that it occurs and pay extra attention to other cues like your breathing, your heart rate, and the time on the clock in the early miles to make sure you don't run faster than you'd planned. And consider running with or near a pace group, if your race offers them. Just check in with the pacer first to make sure he or she has solid pacing experience and plans to run the first few miles conservatively, so you don't blindly follow another runner into an overly ambitious start, Gaudette says.
More: How to Run at the Right Pace
Mid- to late-race: Use the crowd.
After a difficult stretch, taking a moment to appreciate spectators' cheers can give you a mental break from the extended focus of a marathon and put a spring back in your step, Gaudette says. Inside your head, brand the roars as "foot fuel," and envision them powering you to the next mile, Brown recommends. If you find yourself struggling in a quiet section, self-talk—repeating positive affirmations you've practiced beforehand—can give you an equivalent boost, Marcora says.
Since the earliest days of sports psychology, scientists have known that going head-to-head serves as a powerful motivator. As you near the finish line, employ the power of competition to push you to your strongest finish. Focus on runners you think you can reach or beat, then aim to pick them off one at a time. "Using these types of psychological techniques, you can get effects on your performance that are similar to the effects of stimulants," Marcora says—in a totally legal and ethical way.
Throughout: Embrace the moment.
Race day may bring unanticipated challenges as well as unexpected joys. To have a truly positive experience no matter what, arrive knowing that and ready to roll with it. "You don't need optimal conditions in order to perform to your potential and have your best race," Cheadle says. "Trust that whatever happens that day, that's what your race was meant to be and that you can handle it."
This article originally appeared on RunnersWorld.com
Sign up for your next race.