| The Ironman Run: It's a Mind Game
by Ironman Age Group Champion Cherie Gruenfeld.
The difference between a pure marathon and an Ironman marathon is that the Ironman marathon is harder.
Not a very profound statement. It's fairly obvious, to even a novice, that running on very tired legs for that distance will hurt and is going to require a full dose of pain management. What may not be so obvious is that it will also be extremely hard mentally. If you have demons (and who among us doesn't at some time?), an Ironman run is a prefect playground for them. You may have doubts passing through your mind that run along these lines: "This is too hard"; "I have to walk"; "I will never make it to the finish line"; "I don't know what I was thinking"; "Never again"; etc. This type of negative thinking can make the run seem even longer and harder than it actually is.
But the truth of the matter is this: You can do it. You can manage the pain and the demons if you're prepared for both. Putting in the training miles with long, back-to-back workouts will teach you to anticipate and manage the pain but going into the event with a mental game plan is something that is often overlooked. So let's take a look at some race day ideas for handling the mental part of an Ironman marathon.
Race Day
With winds blasting and heat building every passing hour, the bike leg seems to go on interminably, making it impossible to keep that nagging little thought out of your mind – "How am I going to make these tired legs run a marathon?" Regardless of how many long-distance rides you've done in training, this one feels longer and harder. As you approach T2, you do it with very mixed emotions; so glad to be done with the 112 miles but leery about the 26.2 mile task ahead. You've seen the pros race through transition, hardly missing a beat, and hope to look that relaxed yourself. But instead your legs feel like lead, you're hobbling like an old man or woman and running to the changing tent is out of the question. You're just hoping you can make it into the tent with your painfully unsteady walk. And thus begins the Ironman marathon.
A Mile at a Time
With the first step onto the course, the thought of 4 hours, 26 miles, 3 loops, etc. is enough to make even the strongest among us fall apart. But the thought of one mile seems fairly doable at this point. So make that your goal: One mile at a time. Never let yourself look beyond the next mile. This is a mind game, but the entire marathon is a mind game and this one can be quite effective.
A Port in the Storm
The aid stations, fortunately for the above-mentioned strategy, are at every mile along the course. These not only become the goal points for your one-mile runs, but someone is always waiting for you there. They'll welcome you, offer you food and drink, help you with simple medical issues, provide porta-johns and generally just be a beacon in the night. Make sure you don't leave there without getting the nutrition you need (Try the chicken broth – it's to die for!). And take the opportunity to interact, however briefly, with the volunteers. You'd be surprised at the energy you can draw from them.
Use the Crowd
Most Ironman run courses are designed to be spectator friendly, which also makes them racer friendly. Seeing friends, family and total strangers who are clapping, yelling and offering support can boost your spirits and make you run a little taller (Read: faster). I've found that you get more from the crowds when you smile and thank them for their encouraging words. And when someone asks you "How're you feeling?" don't tell them the truth. Answer instead – "Great!" and you might find you actually believe it, if only for a few minutes.
Never Give In
Every Ironman racer, at some point in the run, is tempted to give up the race plan and simply make it to the finish line. While it's true that completing the 140.6 miles is success, you probably went into the day with a race plan – times you thought you were trained for. But, no matter how well trained you are, the difficulty of an Ironman marathon can easily become overwhelming and cause you to feel that you're not able to do what you originally thought. This is the time to remember: Whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can't, you're always right .
So suck it up and believe you can.
No matter how many Ironman races you do, the run will always be a challenge like no other. But then, the accomplishment of completing an Ironman is like no other as well. So, to my way of thinking, it's a challenge well worth taking on. Go to the start line with a strong mind as well as a strong body and enjoy the accomplishment.
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