'On-Run' visualisations

Does anyone use mental imagery as a motivational tool not before a run, but while running? e.g pretend they are a machine expelling steam or imagine being chased by lions! I'm researching a book and would love some examples.

Comments

  • I've never visualised being chased by a lion! But I've certainly visualised crossing the finish line of a race, or how the nice cold pint will look and taste that I'm due later that day as a reward, during any low or tough points during a race. I think it's probably a pretty common technique amongst runners to keep going when your body would dearly love you to stop.

  • A wire....one end attached to my forehead and the other a mile or so down the road attached to a winch, pulling me along, only works when the Lion has concked out behind me and im about to follow suit!

  • Love the wire image (and the motivational lure of the pint!) as its sounds good for posture too...some cyclists use a similar system of cords that they 'hook' to riders and reel in. Maybe runners also reel in competitors in front..

  • Mine is boring, Last 5 miles of a marathon, I visualise the route of an easy 5 mile run I do from my home which I have done countless times before. Not sure if it eases the pain, but helps to get through it. Maybe I will now add in being chased by a dog as a bit of motivation.

  • I use visualisation all the time.  I always  cast a line to trees on top of  a hill  so that i can pull myself up. I sometimes picture myself with a magic carpet floating alongside me  that i can just use to take the weight off my feet.  I only lean on it when it gets tough, i wouldn't use it for the whole race ,( that would be cheating.)

     I look into the distance at runners passing a certain point, like a cottage or  copse of trees and i imagine that the runner i can see is me!  Then as i pass that point

    i say hello to myself as i reach "me". 

     

     

     

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    I use visualisation when running all the time. I visualise up ahead a load of mud and once I run through it, I can see that it really is.

    🙂

  • I don't have a very visual imagination so I don't actually picture this in my head, but sometimes when I am running uphill I like to pretend I am a squirrel.

    Scampering is such a silly word that it seems easier than running.

  • I used to imagine myself as a steam locomotive and the furnace was being stoked with Mars bars! This helped when energy was flagging a bit.

    Another was the ground was on fire/broken glass, so my feet had to have as little contact with the ground as possible. This helped speed and also a lighter step.

    Another was imagine string tied to my ankles and over my shoulders; I was holding the string in my hands and as I ran my hands pulled the string lifting my legs high.

    Sometimes these things sound silly but the old maxim applies "If it works for you". Actually, I do sometimes use these 'mind tricks'  even now.

  • I try to imagine how Kylie will get the blood flowing to my lower limbs after a marathon
  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Apparently a survey of German guys revealed that they mostly visualised sex during their runs.

    How the hell does that work in a public place?

    🙂

  • Squirrels, locomotives, magic carpets - fantastic. You are right Marenkay, if it works, use it, however daft. Running in the woods I sometimes imagine I'm a hunter and the dog is my pet wolf which works well on a grey Surrey day. 

    According to the sports psychologists its always better to look ahead than run/cycle out of fear (e.g of getting overtaken), by the way, so my example of getting chased by lions is not a helpful one.  

     

  • Also-ran wrote (see)

    Mine is boring, Last 5 miles of a marathon, I visualise the route of an easy 5 mile run I do from my home which I have done countless times before. Not sure if it eases the pain, but helps to get through it. Maybe I will now add in being chased by a dog as a bit of motivation.

    i do this, try to relate my position in a race to how far from home i am on my trainin runs, 

  • also do similar to also run......5 miles is this run....4 miles is just asdas and back.etc

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