(BAF Senior Coach, Kilbarchan AAC)

Intelligent coaches and athletes are aware of the need to train purposefully and objectively for races. Carefully planned training schedules, integrating hard work with adequate rest and recovery sessions, produce the recipe for success and the fulfilment of sporting potential.

Yet, in spite of the conscientious adherence to these principles, many athletes fail to do justice to themselves and their abilities during races. This is invariably because they are mentally unprepared for the task in hand and because fear, anxiety, tension, and their own inhibitions get the better of them on the day of competition.

It is all too easy to neglect psychological preparation in the build-up to important races. Very often the emphases are on peaking procedures, energy boosting diets, and discussions on tactics. The importance of mental as well as physical ability on athletics performance is frequently overlooked.

Yet psychological readiness is imperative at all levels of endeavour. It is especially crucial when the difference in physical fitness and skill levels between rival competitors narrows. When physical factors such as speed, stamina, strength, suppleness and skill are more or less equal, the advantage in a closely contested race lies with the athlete who has the better mental edge.

Irrespective of ability, most athletes are conscious of the damaging feelings of anxiety and apprehension during the hours, which precede competition. Skin paleness, faster breathing, copious perspiration, mental and muscular tension, and the frequent desire to visit the toilet are all symptomatic of high stress levels, which adversely affect performance if not controlled.

These physiological responses are caused by increased levels of a hormone known as adrenalin, which is secreted by the adrenal glands close to the kidneys. Increased adrenalin flow is nature's method of equipping humans with the capacity for 'fight or flight' in stressful situations.

A degree of nervousness prior to competition is necessary if a good performance is to be achieved. It is an acknowledged fact that under-arousal of physiological and psychological processes can be as detrimental to performance levels as over-arousal.

Lethargy, indolence and lack of emotional involvement and goal-identification are not conductive to good athletic performance. Under-arousal is frequently caused by over-confidence or a fear of the consequences of a race and the desire to dissociate oneself from it.

Conversely, over-arousal usually occurs as a result of unrealistic expectations, obsessive commitment to perfection, and intolerable pressure from parents, coaches, colleagues, and sometimes even the news media.

The objective of psychological preparation is optimum arousal of the athlete's mental, physical, and spiritual resources - along with a realistic assessment of his / her capabilities and racing and training goals.

Instead of worrying about coming last in races or failing to qualify to subsequent rounds, athletes should set themselves goal-orientated tasks such as emphasising technical skills, running smoothly from starting blocks, avoiding being boxed in, and aiming to run laps or miles at, close to, pre-planned paces. Self-orientated thoughts such as fear of finishing last or being lapped by rivals are negative, destructive and purposeless. Conversely, task-orientated thoughts are constructive, positive and purposeful. The reduce anxiety, fear and stress levels. The enable the athlete to fulfil his / her potential and to do justice to his / her training efforts.

Psychological training is as essential to performance as track, road, cross-country and gymnasium sessions. At its highest level it can involve hypnosis, autogenics, transcendental meditation, bio-feedback, and a process known as centering which requires the athlete to focus his / her thoughts on certain areas of the body and on rhythmic breathing exercises to induce relaxation and feelings of well-being.

These methods should only be used under the guidance of professionally qualified instructors. They can be expensive and are not suitable for everyone. Athletes should examine these methods carefully before embarking on courses.

The vast majority of athletes are most likely to benefit from more simple and basic forms of mental rehearsal. These will include lying comfortably and relaxed in an armchair or couch while visualising himself / herself in action in a competitive situation. Breathing deeply, eyes closed, and aware of soothing feelings of relaxation pervading the entire muscular, nervous and cardio-respiratory systems, the athlete sees him / herself performing each sequence of the running pattern with precision, skill and perfect technique.

As the arms and legs rotate symmetrically around the hip and shoulder axes, there is an awareness of fluency and effortlessness as the athlete glides and flows across the track or road with each muscle group contracting and relaxing in perfect co-ordination and synchronisation. The athlete is aware of the absence of tension in mind and body, yet conscious of an intense outpouring of nervous, mental and physical energy into the race. He / she visualises running the perfect race. By mentally rehearsing its continuous sequence of technically correct movement patterns, the athlete programmes them into the neuromuscular systems and subconscious mind. Then, during the real (as opposed to imaginary) race, the implementation of these movement patterns is automatic and instinctive.

Several athletes visualise the performance of top-class competitors then mentally transfer it to their own self-images. Mentally they imagine themselves inside the body of their role model. By visualisation, they experience aspects of skill and technique comparable to the mental and physical experiences of the role model. These periods of visualisation are interspersed with mental pauses of between 10 and 20 seconds.

The visualisation session ends with the athlete mentally stepping out from the role model's body while still retaining an awareness of the movements experienced in the imagination moments earlier. The next time the athlete uses in a race or training session the skills and techniques visualised in the mental rehearsals, he / she can expect to produce the requisite movement patterns more smoothly and efficiently.

Mental rehearsal can also focus on the athlete's arrival at the race venue or the use of tactics when races get under way. By fixing the mind on task-orientated objectives, he / she is mentally preparing the mind and body for the demands of competition.

Mental rehearsal can also be practised 'in situ'. For example, the athlete can visit competition venues prior to races and familiarise himself / herself with the surroundings. Simultaneously, he / she will take the opportunity to visualise the intended sequence of events and their outcome once the race gets underway. Also, when participating in training sessions, the athlete can mentally project specific training situations into competitive environments. For example, when running repetition 150m or 200m, the athlete can imagine himself / herself coming off the final bend into the finishing straight - responding to the challenges of imaginary opponents and consciously maintaining good technique and form to minimise deceleration just as would be done in an actual race. Training colleagues can also be regarded as opponents so that tactical manoeuvres such as overtaking, dealing with being 'boxed in', and long or short finishing sprints can be rehearsed.

When running longer repetitions such as 400m, 800m, 1,200m or 1,600m, the athlete can imagine himself / herself at various stages in a race maintaining an economic running rhythm and sustaining pace under varying conditions of tiredness. Mentally, he / she can visualise crowds of spectators cheering him / her on towards the imaginary training goal which will become reality in the actual race being prepared for.

It should be emphasised that athletes must have developed sound bases of physical fitness for mental rehearsal techniques to be effective. But in a competitive situation where the differences in skill and fitness are minimal, psychological training will give the mentally prepared athlete an advantage.

Derek Parker

MA BD Hons

Is a Senior BAF Coach and has been a BMC Member since 1975.

Coaches at Kilbarchan Amateur Athletic Club.