The importance of visual cues
Although I might do my best to feel mentally and physically prepared before a long run or race, I sometimes still have a wobble when I'm at the starting line. In an attempt to shake this self-doubt, I've tried and tested heaps of mindset tricks to help ease the nerves and keep me motivated. One of my favourites by far is using visual cues.
These are basically visual triggers that remind me to keep going and help to maintain focus when the going gets tough. Having your own visual cue can be as simple as having a pair of colourful laces, a written message on the back of your hand or some printed @bravendurance socks. The goal is to be reminded to keep going and to reinforce your goal each time you look at your cue.
Although it might seem like an odd choice, my favourite visual cue has become silver nail polish. This began before the first race that I did in 2017 - the City2Sea 15k in Melbourne. It was the furthest that I was about to run, I was terrified and somehow I still signed up with a knee injury that was aggravated at anything above 4k. I was determined to do whatever it took to get myself to that finish line.
I had picked out my favourite kit for comfort, my pockets were stuffed with sugar-free vegan sweets and dates for energy and the nails were a quick and easy visual prompt to stay motivated. Whenever I caught a glimpse of these shimmering beauties during the run, I was reminded of the silver medal that would be given out at the end (as well as the bibimbap at @sisterofsoul_stk_rich that I had promised myself beforehand) and to keep putting one aching foot in front of the other.
Even though I now tend to stick to shorter races with an occasional half marathon in the pipeline, the silver nails are still an essential part of my routine to prevent pre-run jitters. I now associate them with not giving up and staying focused on the end goal. Next time you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of a long training session or a new race, try using a visual cue to keep you motivated and inspired. You might be surprised by how much it helps!
These are basically visual triggers that remind me to keep going and help to maintain focus when the going gets tough. Having your own visual cue can be as simple as having a pair of colourful laces, a written message on the back of your hand or some printed @bravendurance socks. The goal is to be reminded to keep going and to reinforce your goal each time you look at your cue.
Although it might seem like an odd choice, my favourite visual cue has become silver nail polish. This began before the first race that I did in 2017 - the City2Sea 15k in Melbourne. It was the furthest that I was about to run, I was terrified and somehow I still signed up with a knee injury that was aggravated at anything above 4k. I was determined to do whatever it took to get myself to that finish line.
I had picked out my favourite kit for comfort, my pockets were stuffed with sugar-free vegan sweets and dates for energy and the nails were a quick and easy visual prompt to stay motivated. Whenever I caught a glimpse of these shimmering beauties during the run, I was reminded of the silver medal that would be given out at the end (as well as the bibimbap at @sisterofsoul_stk_rich that I had promised myself beforehand) and to keep putting one aching foot in front of the other.
Even though I now tend to stick to shorter races with an occasional half marathon in the pipeline, the silver nails are still an essential part of my routine to prevent pre-run jitters. I now associate them with not giving up and staying focused on the end goal. Next time you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of a long training session or a new race, try using a visual cue to keep you motivated and inspired. You might be surprised by how much it helps!