The "Inner Game" (from Chris Russell)

One of the podcasts I enjoy is RunRunLive by Chris Russell. Chris is a great writer and runner, and often he is able to articulate my feelings about running better than I ever could.

This week Chris talked about the "inner game" in racing. I thought I would share some of his words here:

"I know lots of you have big events coming up. I’m not going to lecture on Taper-Madness or tell you what equipment to lay out the night before your race. As is my want, I am going to ask you to think about your inner game.

If you have made it this far you have done your training. Whether that training was good and sufficient is no longer important. You have what you have. The last couple weeks before an event, if you have trained well just relax; if you haven’t, it’s too late so relax.

There are no special foods, no special potions, no special clothes that are going to make any difference now. Just avoid any kind of cramming activity. Don’t swill fluids and eat pasta to excess. There is very little you can control there, but you can control your inner game.

Many of you first-timers and those of you who have trained these many long weeks will have a huge emotional investment in this event. I’m going to ask you to set that aside. I’m going to ask you to practice emotional detachment. You need to save your emotional energy for the race and not burn it all up in the taper.

Repeat after me:
'I have done my training. There is nothing else I can do to prepare for this race except relax my body and soul in preparation of a glorious effort.'
'I have prepared. I am committed to show up at the start and perform to the best of my ability on race day when the gun goes off. So, now I give myself permission to relax.'
'I will sleep deeply in the strength of my training feeling like a coiled spring. I am sanguine, calm, untroubled, comfortable, stress-free, unperturbed, peaceful, undisturbed and tranquil.'

Now go forth and own that race."

You can download the podcast (Episode 140) from iTunes. Read more about Chris's RunRunLive community and podcast on his website at www.runrunlive.com.