Race Day Visualization
In this Race Day Visualization, you will visualize a number of mindset and race strategies that you can apply to your race.
I understand that everyone’s race plan may look differently, so you can use this visualization as a basic guide and form your own, specific to your strategies.
Mindset and race strategies might include, but is not limited to:
- Start line mindset
- Knowing what gear you will be wearing and using
- Not going out too fast
- Running YOUR race vs another runner’s race
- Positive self-talk
- Ensuring that you get what you need at aid stations
- Asking volunteers for help when you need it
- Enjoying the race and camaraderie
- Not expending all of your energy on hills
- Pacing yourself, in general
- Breaking the course down in sections
- Mindfulness
- Motivation
Practice this visualization a couple of times leading up to your race. Integrate these strategies into your training runs. If you can, it will be helpful to visit the race course and do a training run or two on it. Your long runs may mimic your fueling, pacing, and other race day plans.
Race Day Visualizations are valuable and increase your mental and physical preparedness. They boost your confidence, self-esteem, happiness, and gratitude. Mindfulness, in general, is calming, so visualizations may help reduce pre-race jitters.
You will learn more in the resource.
No more just showing up and “taking a stab at it,” although I know we think that’s fun sometimes and joke about it. Get your finisher award and have a better race experience.
Download your Race Day Visualization below.
Bonus: As a part of your download, you will receive a pdf with information on on start line mindset, mindfulness, and tips for practicing mindfulness.
Best wishes on your race preparation!
Want to thank me for putting this together? You can Buy Me a Coffee! 🙂
Note
I do my best to make these race day visualizations as accurate as possible by including aid stations and other notable course features; however, be aware that the race course, aid station names, etc. may be changed at any time by the race management.
I will not be keeping up with course changes regularly and race management does not notify me of any changes that they make. The good news is, even if the race course changes, this visualization will still be beneficial in a general sense.
I hope that you enjoy this resource and all of its benefits!
All of my content, talks, and workshops are for informational purposes only.
Highball to Thurmond 50 Mile Race Day Visualization
Video
Transcript
Hey there ultrarunner coach Shannon here and Welcome to the highballed Thurmond 50 mil race day visualization Now you can do this exercise a couple of times leading up to your race day during taper time.
Alright, so let’s go ahead and get started. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. and take time to notice the ebb and flow of your breath.
Bring your awareness to your breath. Notice the enter and exit your nose. And the rise and fall of your belly.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Find any tension in your body and allow it to flow out with every exhale. Guide your awareness to the front space of your mind and hold your attention there.
Visualize the start line near the train stop in Montgomery, West Virginia. Visualize the colors of the starting corral. Notice all the visual details of the starting corral.
The banners, race crews, spectators. Notice the time of day. The streetlights are still on, but the daylight is gradually appearing.
The chilliness in the air. The refreshing resting on your skin. The refreshing air in your lungs. Visualize yourself lining up at the start.
Ready to conquer your goal. What are you wearing? Picture yourself in your shoes, race outfit, and with all your gear.
Are you wearing shorts? How about your shirt? Are you wearing a hat? What shoes are you wearing? Do you have any water and nutrition on you?
Your watch is ready. The race is about to begin. The signal goes off that the race has begun. You start into a light jog on the paved roads that weave through a neighborhood.
There’s no need to go out too hard. Let your body ease into a comfortable pace and stay to your plan.
People will go off ahead of you. Allow them to go. Be with your appropriate relaxed pace. Many runners will tire and you will catch them later in the race.
During this first portion of the race, you will feel calm and pace yourself appropriately. Your effort feels brisk and good.
Hold on to that feeling. Follow the six P’s. Proper pacing prevents piss-poor performance. The race course is a mix of pavement, single track, bridle trail, and towpath.
Follow the course markings. Leaving town, you head east along the Kanawha River. Over the next 3.5 miles, you’re on a rolling road.
At mile 5.9 will be your first aid station, Deepwater. Check in with yourself to see what you might need, keeping in mind that there are more rolling hills than you can handle.
Arriving at the first aid station, you hear volunteers cheer for you and greet you. Grab what you need. Do you need water?
After the Deepwater aid station, you proceed, feeling strong and confident. About nine miles into the race, the course turns into a narrow dirt road.
There is a small brook and waterfalls along the way. Coming into Kanawha Falls Overlook Aid Station at mile 9.7. Ask your, Do you need water?
Electrolytes? A snack? Get what you need and continue running strong. Approaching a hill, you decrease your speed as you start the climb to reserve your stamina.
Your cadence may slightly increase as you climb up the hill. Now that you’re at the top of the hill, you can readjust your speed.
You have a nice downhill coming. You cruise down it for a little bit. As you’re running down, you pass by two runners who took the hill too hard and expired when they reached the top.
You feel great as you maintain your pace appropriately. Hold on to that feeling. Though you’re working on the hills, you absorb the beautiful vistas, overlooks, rock walls, and drop-offs.
You peak Cotton Hill and check in with yourself to see what you need at the second aid station. You are around 13.9 miles in.
Entering the aid station, grab what you need. Do you need water, a gel, a piece of fruit, a sandwich? If you would like, allow the friendly volunteers to assist you.
After grabbing what you need, you’re feeling good. From here, you descend quickly over the next 2.4 gravel miles. You continue to enjoy the company of the trail community over the next few miles.
Notice who’s around you. Are you having conversations with others? Are you sticking with your plan? The next few miles you’re back on pavement, making your way downhill toward the new river.
This section is gorgeous. Once over the river, the section is relatively flat along the river. You arrive at Hawks Nest State Park and take the Fisherman’s Trail to the Hawks Nest Connector Trail.
The Connector Trail goes all the way to New River Bridge. Approaching the 4th Aid Station at Hawks Nest State Park, give yourself what you need.
If you have a drop bag, do you need anything from it? Do you need to rehydrate? Do you need electrolytes? Are you you need. There are great views and you see the Hawks Nest Dam.
In about five miles, you’ll be at the FAYA aid station. As you get closer, take note on what you might need as you enter the area.
You have about eight miles until the fifth aid station. What do you need? Do you need to rehydrate? Do you need electrolytes?
Are you feeling hungry? In the aid station, take what you need. Now, on a small bridge underneath the gargantuan New River Bridge crossing the river, here you are halfway done with your race.
You feel focused and determined. While crossing, you check out some of the iconic rapids. This small section is a quick drop down to the river.
Soon you will be climbing out of the gorge. You are on a 6.5 mile climb with technical sections and some stairs.
You’re between miles 26 and 32.5. During all of your hard work on the Fayette Trail, you’re rewarded with iconic views, including one on a small out and back section.
You also see beautiful waterfalls and abandoned mines. Continue to keep up the work and have a flexible yet strong mind.
Repeat to yourself, you got this. After passing 50K, you’re on a wide trail with rock walls on the right and steep drops on your left.
The terrain is runnable with rolling hills. As you run along, there are tributary streams coming off the mountain, trailing down to the new river, and the river roars below.
Reaching the K-More Miners Trail Aid Station, volunteers are happy to see you and help. Do you need water, electrolytes, a sandwich?
Get what you need and continue running strong. You continue to follow your race plan and you handle any issues that pop up.
You’re mindful of your effort on the hills and are racing smart. You remind yourself of why you’re out there. At about mile 39.8, you will enter the K-More Trailhead-Cunard Aid Station.
Do you need anything from your drop bag? Again, support your body. The Kinnard River Access Aid Station is in about two miles.
You grab something that you didn’t get at the previous aid station or you may top off your water. or electrolytes, to cover the next five miles.
From miles 39 to 48.5, you will come off K-More Trail and then get on the Brooklyn Trail. During the 7.2 mile section, you climb about 300 feet in about a 0.2 mile hill.
Now that you’ve motored your way up to climb, you run on an old railroad bed, which barely has any elevation gain.
Knocking off the next few miles, you continue to motivate yourself. Keep moving. Relentless forward progress. Every step forward is a step closer to getting that award.
If it helps, break up the course mentally, run tree to tree or rock to rock, then power hike. All you need to do is to keep moving forward and to keep working hard.
Dig deep as needed. You’re doing amazing. At mile 47, you arrive at the Southside Junction Trail Aid Station. Do you need anything for these last three miles?
Over these final two miles, you see the finish line in Thurmond. Awesome! Keep it up, you’re so close. Imagine yourself resetting.
Receiving the award and holding it. Imagine the people who will be with you at the finish. 1.3 miles left. You leave Wren Trail and get on the road.
Just before the bridge into Thurmond, turn right and head to the finish line. Your energy increases, you’re doing it. All your Your strength, possibilities, and determination fill your mind and body.
Feel this positive energy fill your body. Spectators are rooting for you. Happiness and gratitude also fill your body. You can clearly see the finish line arch.
Notice the details. What else can you see around the finish? Will anybody be waiting to congratulate you? You feel emotions of accomplishment and excitement.
It’s time to get to that timing mat. The energy is swelling as you feel increased with every step towards the finish.
The energy is expanding. You continue to use your strength, possibilities, and determination as you surge towards the timing mat. You are strong, powerful, keep moving.
Notice the details of the finish line, volunteers, and spectators. The cheering, clapping, cowbell, smiling, and waving. You finish. You receive congratulations from the race director.
This moment is what you’re capable of. It’s your potential. All the work that you’re doing has led you to right here.
Absorb that energy. You achieved something great. Bring up to your mind any dreams and aspirations that you have for the event.
Visualize your hopes. Think about what it feels like to accomplish your goal and all the hard work you have done.
Mentally repeat to yourself that you can achieve your goals. You have the potential. Repeat to yourself in your head or out loud.
You are a capable person. You have unlocked your strength. You can feel the positive energy. Breathe in and out. When you are ready, you may open your eyes.
Notice that the positive energy is still there. And hold on to it, now and during the event. You’ve earned it.
Related articles and resources
Phoenix Trail Fest 50k (Lake Lurleen State Park) Race Day Visualization
Self-Care and Healthy Habits for Ultrarunners
Idea for Raising Mental Health Awareness During a Race
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