:: Contact :: Subscribe

Distance running. Two words that bring to mind physical effort for an extended period of time. Not only is there extended physical effort in distance running, there is also the very often overlooked mental effort involved. After my best marathons, I have been very tired physically, but I have been very tired mentally as well. To run fast over an extended period of time requires concentration. When we have to concentrate intensely for a long period of time, like in a marathon, we drain ourselves emotionally as well as physically. Sometimes late in race it's the lack of emotional energy that causes us to slow down, not a lack of physical energy. In other words, we lose concentration and our pace slows.

The good news is there are some techniques that can aid in our concentration and in turn, allow us to conserve energy, both mentally and physically, for latter stages of a long race, when it's most needed. To better understand the strategies to help concentration we need to first understand just what concentration is. The word focus is often used to mean concentration. There are a number of different types of focus. Most people associate focus with an external focus such as focusing on what you're doing in a game or what an opponent is doing. This is only one type of focus however. There can also be an internal focus where we focus on ourselves and how we feel. Both internal and external styles of concentration can also have another component. The focus can be broad, where you are actually attending to many things at one time, such as reading while watching TV, and at the same time keeping an eye on your children. The focus can also be narrow as when you focus on only one thing, like being totally engrossed in reading a novel and you are unaware of anything else.

All of these types of focus are useful and all have their time and place to be used. However, learning to use the proper style of attentional focus at the proper time is critical for optimal performance. Running can present unique demands on concentration skills.

Many people feel that running for a period of two to four hours wouldn't require a very high level of concentration. Actually, runners need to have very specific skills in terms of focus.

Research that has looked into the thinking strategies of elite marathoners has found that the most successful marathoners use a combination of what is known as association and dissociation concentration strategies. Association means the runner is very much in tune with their body, monitoring things like breathing, heart rate, and muscle tension. On the other hand dissociation means thinking about other things such as the scenery around you, or what you may do after the race, etc. Association would be considered a narrow-internal focus while dissociation could be considered a broad-external focus.

The big skill needed for running concentration seems to be the ability to know when to use association and when to use dissociation. Schomer did research on marathoners in the mid-80s and found that increased running pace was accompanied by an increase in associative concentration. Good runners need to be able to shift their focus during a race between internal and external in order to run their best. Usually the shorter the race the less dissociation strategies can be used. Just think if you daydream for very long in a two mile or 5K race, the race will be over! A lapse in focus during a short race can mean a break in contact with other runners and a definite slowing of pace, both of which will negatively impact place and time.

A long race, like the marathon, will require more of a shifting between association and dissociation. Less successful marathoners have been found to use almost total dissociation when running. What they do is simply think about things other than running during a marathon in order to try to forget about feeling tired or being bored. While this sounds like a good idea to run faster, most agree that it's an ineffective strategy to run your best. On the other hand trying to maintain a total narrow-internal focus for more than three hours may not be effective either.

For long races like the marathon, try and use what I call the "funnel approach." Early in a long race you usually feel pretty relaxed, energetic, and comfortable. During the beginning stages of a marathon it's very critical to stay relaxed and conserve energy. It's often said that the marathon is an "energy management event" or, in other words, you need to conserve energy early on in order to have more in the late stages of the race.

A good way to conserve energy early on is to simply try and run as relaxed as possible. One way to do this is to dissociate. Talk to someone as you run, look at the scenery, notice the spectators. Simply relax and run at your race pace with as much ease as possible and conserve energy. As the race progresses, let's say past half way in the marathon, you will probably feel fatigued and the pace will seem harder. In order to maintain your pace you will be forced to concentrate and associate more than you did in the early miles. Dissociation here could mean an extreme slowing from your goal pace. On the other hand, later in the race you must also associate more, so as not to push too hard. You will need to monitor your body in order to stay below your anaerobic threshold, so as to not tie up and bonk late in the race.

Late in a long race, such as the last six miles in a marathon, your focus will be very narrow. In order to maintain pace all of your energies must be focused on turning your legs over, trying to maintain your pace, and getting to the finish line. No time to daydream now, it's total concentration on finishing the best you can.

By now you may have noticed that your concentration pattern in a long race will resemble that of a funnel, very broad and wide at the top and very narrow and focused at the bottom. Keep this idea in mind during your next long race. Stay relaxed and let your thoughts wander early, but when crunch time comes, narrow your focus to the task at hand: running your best!