BOSTON UNIVERSITY SPORT PSYCHOLOGY COACH STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MENTALLY PREPARED FOR MARATHON DAY

Monday, April 12, 2004

(Boston, MA) — As the Boston Marathon quickly approaches, both coaches and marathoners agree that mental preparedness can make or break a runner’s performance on marathon day.

Adam Naylor, Ed.D., sport psychology coach and coordinator of the Athletic Enhancement Center (AEC) at Boston University says that it is essential for runners to train their mind along with their body to be completely ready for the race.

“There is an inherent link between the mind, body and performance in any athletic activity,” said Naylor. “To optimize performance, runners need to prepare both physically and mentally.”

Naylor teaches athletes to “be there before you are there” by managing their body on and leading up to race day. He also encourages runners to decide what will occupy their mind during the race, to know their support along the way and to set small, attainable goals.

Since studies have shown that the toughest part of any distance sports is the middle, Naylor also recommends that runners strategize to conserve energy and concentration for the inevitable middle miles.

Domenick D’Amico, BU employee and avid runner who has completed 17 marathons says that mental preparedness is one of the biggest obstacles facing runners. This year he trained with the AEC to improve his overall performance.

“Marathoning is the hardest sport since it all comes down to one day and there are no second chances,” said D’Amico. “The only way to be 100 percent ready for marathon day is to make sure that you’re both physically and mentally prepared.”

In addition to training with the AEC this year, D’Amico has been leading a group for the past five and a half years through Marathon Sports to prepare runners of all abilities for the Boston Marathon. Although the main focus of the group is physical preparedness, D’Amico incorporates mental strategies into the weekend training sessions.

"Everyone should have a chance to run the marathon without being intimidated,” said D’Amico. “The best way I’ve found to ease stress at the start line is to know what you’re getting yourself into and the challenges you will face throughout the race.”

Along the lines of Naylor’s suggestion of setting small goals to work toward, D’Amico teaches runners of the Boston Marathon to mentally break down the marathon into three smaller races with different challenges and terrain. They are the first 16 miles of rolling hills, mainly downhill, the uphill series between miles 16 and 21 and the rolling hills from Boston College to Copley.

He also encourages them to test out personal strategies that will motivate each individual to get through the race such as counting towns, miles or waterstops.

After training with D’Amico, runners have seen all parts of the course, giving them the mental edge of knowing what lies ahead.

"On Marathon Monday one's mind is one of the biggest obstacles to running success," said Naylor. "However, being mentally prepared is essential to the most enjoyable experience and optimal marathon time."

Boston University experts are also available to discuss a variety of other marathon related topics including training, physical therapy and nutrition.

The Athletic Enhancement Center (AEC) at Boston University is a division of Sargent College Clinical Centers. For more information on this and the other centers, go to http://www.bu.edu/aec.

Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is an institution of higher education and research whose premier academic programs prepare dynamic health professionals and whose research and leadership in the health and rehabilitation sciences is actively shaping health care. For more information about Sargent College and to learn about their degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication disorders, health sciences, athletic training, nutrition, and rehabilitation counseling, visit http://www.bu.edu/sargent.