ON THE RADAR [ northeast ] C advice
Self-talk Your Way to a Win A competitive runner and accomplished researcher, Laura Hayden, Ed.D., owner of Boston-based sport psychology practice, Hayden Performance Consulting in Boston, uses her personal athletic experience in her counseling practice. She is the president of the nationally ranked Greater
Hang!
Boston Track Club and the director of the University of Massachusetts in Boston’s counseling program. Hayden says you can tap into your positivity reserves to trump training or race-day fears.
The (Self) Talking Cure “Reaching your physical limits requires constant mental engagement,” Hayden said. “Self-talk, an essential component of cognitive control, can either enhance or inhibit performance.” Positive versus Negative Positive self-talk can raise your self-esteem and encourage you to remain in the present rather than focus on past negative thoughts, feelings or performances. Negative self-talk can cause you to engage in behavior that reaffirms your negative thoughts. This will get your mind into a dangerous loop where it suggests that your original negative thoughts are correct. Although research suggests that peak performance occurs when athletes are not thinking about their performance and are instead “acting automatically,” Hayden has found otherwise. “Athletes often do think when they are performing, and therefore require tools to change negative thinking into positive thinking,” she said. For instance, running—a solitary and sometimes painful activity—provides many opportunities for athletes to
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engage in negative self-talk. Statements, such as, “I can’t do this,” or “I’m tired,” or “I just want to stop” run rampant through runners’ minds during performances.
“As a negative thought enters your mind in training or racing, such as the inevitable thought during the second mile of a cross country race: ‘I can’t do this—it’s too hard and I want to stop,’ say out loud: ‘Stop.’ How do we change “After you tell yourself to these thoughts? stop, give yourself a short, By recognizing our negatrue positive statement to tive thoughts and coupling repeat. For example, those thoughts with after saying ‘Stop,’ thought stoppage You can say to yourself, techniques and get Dr. Hayden’s ‘Hang,’ meaning positive mantras, help by contacting that you know we can redirect her through you can hang our attention Haydenperformance onto the runner and, therefore, consulting.com. in front of you. our behavior to You’ve done it in enhance perforthe past, and you can mance, Hayden said. use this knowledge to push through your negative Chew on This thoughts.” Negative thoughts = negative feelings + negative behavior = poor performances. Don’t Forget to: This pattern suggests Make sure you have selectthe importance of eliminated your thought-stoppage ing negative thoughts by trigger word and your short consistently using a thought- positive statement prior to stoppage trigger. training or competition so you don’t have to think while you’re in distress. Instead, Be the Change You Want you can just act automatito See cally, Hayden advised. Use a trigger word that “By building on your physiworks best for you. If you cal fitness with mental fitare having trouble coming up ness, you're well on your way with a word, Hayden sugto peak performance.” gests trying the word “stop.”
Race Ready Editor’s picks for must-do races in the Northeast.
The town of Waitsfield, Vt., will host the first Mad Marathon and HalfMarathon on July 10. For 26.2 miles, participants run through pastures and hillsides in Vermont’s Green Mountains. The course takes runners over charming covered bridges, around sleepy barns and through historic Waitsfield. Check out what race organizers call “the most beautiful marathon in the world.” Madmarathon.com Make sure to register early for the Aug. 14 Cazenovia Triathlon and Aquabike race in Cazenovia, N.Y., as it sold out last year. Now in its 11th year, the Caz Tri, as race veterans call it, offers participants dorm stays in the local college and a refreshing swim in one of central New York’s finger lakes, also called Cazenovia, all about 30 miles from Syracuse. Cazenoviatriathlon.com If you’re a city slicker and don’t want to leave Manhattan to race, check out the 27th annual New York City Biathlon on Sept. 4 in Central Park. Run 2 miles, then bike 12, then run two more through the historic park. In true New Yorker style, you must fend for yourself: “If another competitor is drafting you, yell to him to stop drafting!” states the race website. Nyctri.com
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All Stories by Lauren Ventura