Self- Talk and Visualization

For the past few months I have been practicing a visualization technique I learned from a motivational speaker. She had been training to qualify for the Boston Marathon and had used this technique to help her achieve that goal. She picked a random time within the time limit she needed to qualify, something completely random. This did not mean she had to finish in that, but she wanted to finish the race in some time around this arbitrary number. She made giant posters and posted them all over her home.

I did exactly this. I would see it when I woke up, when I made breakfast, when I brushed my teeth, when tying up my laces to go for a run. 4:13:48.

One weekend, my boyfriend requested I leave my keys with him while I was at home in Vancouver visiting my family. “It’s a surprise.” He said with his handsome grin. I melted a little inside as I handed over the keys. I was very curious as to what he was up to.

After a lovely weekend home with the family, I came home to a beautiful bright dining area. He had taken sheets of various coloured construction paper and wrote “4:13:48” on every single one. Then in my bedroom he wrote in VERY large numbers “4:13:48” right above my bed. I was so delighted! I could see home much work he had put into it and really was happy to see someone I love show so much support in me and something I love to do.

My last 3 marathons I finished like so:

Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon 2010 October 10    -  4:23:33
BMO Vancouver Marathon 2011 May 6                        -  4:20:57
Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon 2011 June 25               -   4:30:42

I had started all three of these races FAR too quickly, generally hitting the wall around the 35- 37 km mark. (Except Seattle, I hit the wall about half way at 21.1 km! bad bad bad!).  So for my fourth marathon I was determined to go in with a game plan, and with a positive attitude. I was going to take the first half WAY slower then I have in the past. Make sure I finish the first 21.1 in about 2 hours 5 min to 2 hours 10 min. Then negative split. Meaning the seconds half of the race was ran faster then the first half. Sounded easy enough.

My problem is letting my feet and my ego take me away and think I can keep at 5:15/km pace the entire way. This time I was going to make my BRAIN make the decisions. As much as I wanted to go super quick because I was so excited by the crowds, there was no way I wasn’t going to come close to beating my previous PB.

I had been looking up quote after quote as I posted them on facebook ever so often.

“Sometimes the things that challenge us most, define us” - spirit of the marathon, 2007

“The difference between a successful personal and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” -Vince Lombardi

“To me, the real test of one’s character isn’t defined by completing the marathon on race day, but rather by having the self-discipline and dedication to commit, sacrifice, and endure the months of training required to complete such an event.” - Kimberly Pasienza


I know I had put the hours and the miles in. Some weeks I ran about 80 km. I know I had the dedication. Believe me, there were days I would wake up and just wanted to cuddle up in bed, or didn’t want to face the cold weather. But I sucked it up and realized that “hey its only a few hours out of my day, after that I can relax.” If you really want something, you will put the steps in that are needed to achieve that. Unfortunately, its not as simple as saying you can do something. You do have to make a game plan in order to achieve it.

Over those 6-8 weeks, I was constantly nailing in positive self talk and visualizing the time as I cross that finish line in my head. When taper time came around (when the milage goes down 2-3 weeks prior to the race) I was getting antsy (as always). I wanted to hammer out a long run some days, and a super hard fast run other days. It didn’t help that I had a lot of stressful situations in my personal life and at school arise. In fact, it made me antsier. Running is my stress relief, and I couldn’t turn to that for those few weeks.

Finally race weekend came, I picked up both my boyfriend and my race packages. That is when it all set in. This was the weekend I was going to prove to myself, yet again, that anything is possible with perseverance, focus and a good attitude. My last two marathons, I did not go through my usual pre race evening and pre race morning rituals, and it totally screwed me up. This time I would do what I always did. Carb load 2-3 days prior, have my usual cup of coffee with oatmeal (and crushed banana and Peanut Butter), have my flasks and bottles fueled the night before. I was going to do this thing.

I did what I had planned, I finished the first half in about 2 hours 10 minutes. I then picked up the pace from a 6:20/km pace to a 6 minute/km pace from 21.1 km marker to about 28 km. After that I picked up my pace to about a 5:30/km to about a 5:45/ km pace. As I saw the “200 meters Left!!” sign, I glanced at my garmin. 4:12:.something something...... It dawned on me.. I CAN DO THIS!

I picked up my pace. Hear the music blaring in my ears and glaring the finish line down. I was so focused I didn’t even see that my boyfriend was yelling with a big sign with my name on it.



I came through at 4:13:42. I finished and was greeted by Katherine Switzer with a big hug telling me how proud she was of me. I was so happy, I am still in a bit of disbelief that I came in 6 seconds faster then my visualized time!

Whats next? well I was going to take some time and focus on half marathons for a bit, but I have been intrigued by the Toronto marathon as a possibility in May. I want to aim to beat the 4:10 mark next race.

You CAN do anything you put the effort into and put your mind into.