MAXIMAL MARATHON MINDSET

Cultivating a Neutral Mindset for Peak Performance

The marathon is more than just a physical challenge; it's a mental challenge. It starts well before race day and extends well beyond race day. The right mindset doesn’t guarantee you a great race, but the wrong mindset can definitely sabotage your race. 

What’s the best mindset to cultivate?

Get your +ve right

We’re led to believe that positive thinking is the key to success, encouraging us to visualize success and banish negative thoughts. However, this approach can lead to a sense that things aren't going well when reality doesn't match our expectations. Instead of thinking “Let's crush this,” it’s more effective to adopt the mindset of “I can do hard things.” A neutral, realistic mindset better prepares us for the challenge of a marathon.

I am NOT saying visualizing success isn’t an effective tool. But this is a case of using the right tool for the right job. Visualizing your PB or BQ is a great motivational tool. When it’s dark and raining and you still gotta get up for your easy miles, visualizing success feeds your why and gets you out the door. In the goal setting formula we use at MESA Endurance, this is your why goal. It sets the direction and intent.

The right thing to visualize on race day is how you want to run it, not what you’re going to achieve. And visualize the how in all its realistic glory. I’m going to run smooth and relaxed. I’m going to be disciplined about my pacing strategy in the first 10km. I’m going to fuel properly. And also…. at various points… I know it’s going to get hard, I know negative thoughts will creep into my head - so I’m going to do my best to recognize it, and reframe it for the moment.

On race day, your +ve mindset isn’t about a result. It’s about how you want to run.

F*ck the -ve

Conversely, a negative mindset is clearly unhelpful. Dreading the pain, dwelling on past failures, or anticipating bonking actually subconsciously steers us to those outcomes. And it saps your energy before you even start and prevents you from accessing your full potential.

Again, these type of negative thoughts tend to all be outcomes. No one thinks "I don't want to fuel properly." Don’t think about pain, think about what you’ll do when you inevitably feel pain. Don’t think about past failures, just think about how you want to run this race. Don’t think about bonking, think about fueling. 

On race day, reframe -ve thoughts into active plans about what you’re going to do.

Neutrality, F*ck judgement

The maximal marathon mindset lies in between the two. to a more realistic and neutral mindset. Deal with the facts, and set the right expectation without judgement.

Steve Magness (author of “Win the Inside Game”, “Do Hard Things”, and “Peak Performance" - all good books btw) puts it this way: 

Expectations shape performance.

If you think it’ll be easy, the first bit of struggle feels like failure.

If you think it’s impossible, you don’t even try.

The sweet spot is expecting difficulty, while trusting your ability to meet it.

That’s where resilience and growth live.

Similarly, in the book "It Takes What It Takes" by Trevor Moawad, Moawad champions "neutral thinking." This isn't about being emotionless or indifferent; it's about acknowledging reality without attaching judgment or excessive emotion. It's about accepting what is, in the moment, and focusing on the next action.

A ___insert time/place goal here___ marathon will take what it takes. It’s going to be hard. There are a few things that could go wrong (weather conditions etc). Those are statements that acknowledge reality without attaching judgement. And that’s the key part. Not - I can’t do this because it's too hot. What are you going to DO about it? It’s hot, you will need to adjust your race strategy to deal with the heat. Your best race lies in setting the right expectations based on reality.

On race day, make observations, but avoid the impulsive thought that follows and be mindful to reframe it into what you are going to do.

Don’t be better, do better

There’s a paradox in that the harder we work for something, the more we want it, the more important it is to us - the higher the risk that we sabotage ourselves. 

Anything we invest a lot in starts to become a part of our self identity. For elite runners (and all athletes) this can turn into a major mental health risk. They are only as good as their last performance. If races don’t go as planned, it’s a slippery slope to “I’m a failure” and negative self worth and depression. Most of us get to balance this view with other parts of ourselves, but it’s still a slippery slope to “I can’t run”, “I can’t get better”, “I choke on race day”. 

The other side of this is that to protect our ego, we’ll sometimes sell ourselves short. We’ll sandbag so we can meet our lowered expectations.

It's helpful on race day to step back and get some perspective. Think about how this performance is just one piece of a rich mosaic of who you are. Success or failure does not make you a success or failure.

For a maximal marathon mindset, we need to do our best to put our ego aside and free ourselves from judgement about any outcome. 

Maximal marathon mindset

A list of things to help you stay focused on how you want to run and not on outcomes: 

• Acknowledge the Challenge, Don't Dwell: 

The marathon is hard, with pain, fatigue, and doubt. A neutral mindset accepts these realities without being overwhelmed. Instead of thinking, "This is going to be so hard," think, "This is hard, but I am up for the challenge," and recall your successful training experiences. You have the tools to handle adversity.

• Focus on present: 

Control what you can right now: your breathing, stride, hydration, and fuel. Avoid thinking about the finish or past miles. Break the race into micro goals, focusing on each km. 14km to go may seem daunting, but the next km is manageable, so do your best to just think about the next km. After completing it, reset and focus on the next.

• Fact-Based Evaluation, Not Emotional Reaction: 

When the race inevitably gets hard, as much as possible focus on observing versus the emotion. It can help to almost think in 3rd person watching yourself go through this. "My hamstring is tightening; I need to adjust my stride." or "My split is faster than planned; how can I relax into my strategy?" Are more effective than reacting with fear or overconfidence. Tune into what is happening more than how it makes you feel. Negative emotions can create a spiral and feedback loop that you want to stay out of.

• Responding, Not Reacting:

  I can't say I've done a race where I don't have negative thoughts. Most races I've thought about quitting or giving up. You can't fully prevent negative thoughts from entering your head, but how you react to them is critical. Here are some ways to reframe these thoughts into action plans.

  1. Ask yourself, "What do I know to be true right now?" and then focus on positive truths.

  2. Recognize that feelings of fatigue or heat are protective signals, not actual danger.

  3. Shift your focus to positive sensations and productive steps. For example, acknowledge fatigue but concentrate on maintaining your stride and reassess after a kilometer. If feeling hot, ensure you're not in danger, take extra water at the next aid station, and reassess.

• Process-Oriented Over Outcome-Oriented: 

  The marathon is about the process, not just achieving a personal best. Your worth isn't defined by your finish time. Neutral thinking helps you focus on executing your race plan, making each step and water station a victory. A “no regrets” race means following your plan well, regardless of the time. If you've done that, be proud.