Rebounding from a Loss:
A Runner's Guide to Regaining Confidence, Part 2
By, Sarah Scholl, EdM
TRY THIS
Write down three negative thoughts that normally run through your mind before a race:
1.
2.
3.
NOW
Reframe each of those thoughts, by turning them into a positive:
1.
2.
3.
REHEARSE
After a bad race, athletes have a tendency to always "see" what he/she doesn't want to happen instead of what they want to have happen. In order to stop the detrimental feelings of fear and self-doubt from diffusing into your next race, it is necessary to prepare your mind, just like you prepare your body. An athlete who is confident, tends to focus their thoughts and images on coping with the environment and the opponent, on mastering the task, and on the rewards of success rather than worrying about performing poorly and the consequences of failure. Mental imagery scripts are a good way to help prepare yourself for any mental setbacks that you may encounter. By rehearsing the event ahead if time, you will be prepared to overcome any predictable setbacks that hurt your performance the first time around. By changing the channel, you can begin to focus on running well, feeling fast, sharp, and smooth, instead of what you are afraid of. The more internal practice of the right images, the more chance you will have of quickly snapping out of the performance difficulties.
The first step to responding to your fears in a positive way, is to recognize them.
List three things that you fear during competition:
1.
2.
3.
Now, using your imagination, create a story about yourself facing your fears, and overcoming them.
To begin, list three of your strengths as a runner:
1.
2.
3.
Finally, take each of your fears and write a script about how you can overcome them using the strengths that you listed above:
Make your story as detailed and vivid as possible. Include how you want to feel, and how you want to think. Make sure you are clear about what you say to yourself to overcome the fear.
The first question you should consider is, “What will it be like?” This refers to the external factors of competition, or the physical and social environment. The second question you need to address is, “How will I respond?” is by far the most important question for athletes. Athletes should plan to respond, not react. Responding requires mental skill and toughness to manage one’s emotions and thoughts and performance when faced with obstacles, surprises and disappointments.
Now, take that story and read it each night leading up to the race.
By preparing to face your fears ahead of time, you will be prepared to deal with anything that is thrown your way.
Finally, move forward with confidence. The loss was an event. You disappointment was just a mental event. It does not define you and it does not determine your future. Part of the “envisioning” is to set yourself mentally on a forward-moving path. That vision contains everything you need to retain from the past event. It is over and reliving the negative emotions will not enhance your performance.
Your task is to implement your plan with faith and reduce the negatives and create positive messages, images and emotions. With resilience, you can grow as a runner and create a mindset that will accelerate your path to success.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this web site is for educational and recreational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of any healthcare professionals. Consult your physician before beginning or making any changes in your diet, supplements or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries, and for advice regarding medications. No approval, agreement, support or warranty is given or implied concerning the information given on this web site or to the links and the information contained therein. The views expressed by the many divergent authors are not all facts, but opinionated views. This web site is provided to you for personal entertainment, information, education, communication, and cybergratification purposes only. The user of this web site exercises their own risk by accessing this web site and the links or by allowing others to access them through the member's only system we have created.
