You’ve probably experienced this during a race: you’re at mile 20 of your marathon, running your goal pace, and suddenly every step feels like you’re pushing through cement.
Your splits say you’re on track, your training was solid, but your brain is screaming at you to slow down.
Meanwhile, the runner next to you, who you beat in training, is pulling away, looking relaxed and controlled.
What’s the difference?
It’s not fitness, and it’s not physical toughness.
Research from Professor Samuele Marcora at Kent University reveals [1] something most runners don’t realize: when you stop or slow during a race, you still have energy left in your muscles.
The decision to give up has nothing to do with your muscles or cardiovascular system, it’s entirely your brain making the call based on perception of effort.
In fact, studies show that perception of effort, not physiological failure, is the primary limiter in endurance performance.
That’s a game-changer because it means the difference between hitting your goal and falling short often comes down to psychological preparation, not physical training.
If you’re a busy runner balancing training with work and family, racing distances from 5k to marathon, this matters more than you think.
You can nail every workout in your training plan, but without mental preparation, you’re leaving 2-5% of your performance potential untapped.
That’s not a small margin, it’s the difference between a breakthrough race and another frustrating “what if.”
The good news is that mental strategies are learnable skills backed by decades of research.
Athletes don’t just have tougher minds, they’ve trained specific psychological skills just like they’ve trained their bodies.
And you can do the same.
So in this article, we’re going to dig deep into the science on…
- How your brain regulates endurance performance and why understanding perception of effort changes everything
- The three evidence-based cognitive strategies elite athletes use: self-talk, visualization, and attention control
- Specific mental training exercises you can implement immediately in your training
- Race-day psychological protocols that help you execute your best performance when it matters most
- Why 43-53% of marathoners “hit the wall” and how mental preparation dramatically reduces your risk
Your Brain Is Running the Show
Professor Samuele Marcora at Kent University has spent years studying what makes endurance athletes slow down during races.
His findings challenge everything we thought we knew about fatigue.
Research demonstrates [2] that signals from your muscles, heart, and lungs don’t play a significant role in your decision to stop or slow down.
Instead, psychological factors, like mental tiredness from staring at a computer all day, have a direct effect on your performance.
Simply put, what runners call “exhaustion” is more about perception than physical capability.
Your brain regulates endurance through something called effort-based decision making.
It constantly weighs how hard something feels (your perception of effort) against how motivated you are to continue.
When perception of effort exceeds your motivation, your brain tells you to slow down, even when your body could physically continue.
This is why mental training works.
Data shows [3] that psychological interventions which reduce perception of effort consistently improve endurance performance.
Mental fatigue before exercise measurably reduces running speed, while positive psychological states improve it.
Understanding this gives you a powerful advantage: you can train your mind to tolerate higher levels of perceived effort and maintain stronger motivation during challenging race moments.
The Wall Isn’t What You Think It Is
About 43-53% of marathoners report “hitting the wall” during their race.
Research reveals [4] four distinct characteristics: generalized fatigue, unintentionally slowing pace, desire to walk, and a shift in focus to pure survival.
But here’s what’s fascinating: the wall has both physiological and psychological origins.
While glycogen depletion plays a role, your cognitive patterns during the race dramatically influence whether you hit the wall and how severely.
A study on recreational marathoners found [5] that runners who “hit the wall” used significantly more internal dissociation, actively blocking sensory feedback from their bodies.
This seems counterintuitive, but it’s hazardous because you lose touch with important pace and effort information.
However, too much internal association (focusing intensely on physical symptoms) can magnify discomfort and bring on the wall earlier.
Elite runners navigate this differently than recreational runners.
They flexibly switch between paying attention to body feedback and directing focus elsewhere, adapting their attention strategy to what the race demands at each moment.
The key takeaway?
Your mental approach to managing discomfort directly affects your likelihood of hitting the wall, making psychological preparation just as important as proper fueling.
Self-Talk: The Voice That Pushes You Forward
That internal dialogue running through your head during tough workouts?
It’s more powerful than you realize.
Research demonstrates [6] that motivational self-talk reduced perception of effort and increased cycling time to exhaustion for 83% of participants.
In another study, positive self-talk improved 10km cycling time trial performance compared to neutral self-talk.
A comprehensive meta-analysis confirmed [7] that interventions including self-talk training were significantly more effective than those without it.
Self-talk works by directly influencing your effort-based decision making.
When you use constructive phrases during challenging moments, you’re not just being positive, you’re actually changing how your brain interprets physical sensations.
The right words at the right time can reduce how hard something feels, helping you maintain pace when your body wants to slow down.
Not all self-talk is created equal.
Motivational self-talk boosts confidence and determination with phrases like “I’m strong,” “I’ve trained for this,” or “Push through.”
Use these during high-intensity efforts when you need emotional fuel.
Instructional self-talk provides technical cues for form and pacing: “Relax shoulders,” “Quick feet,” or “Smooth breathing.”
Research shows [8] that task-relevant thinking improves performance by keeping your focus on controllable execution.
Mood-oriented self-talk creates positive emotional states with phrases like “Feeling good” or “This is my day.”
Elite swimmers performed better when using mood words compared to negative thinking.
Here’s how to train this skill:
Develop 5-7 personal phrases that resonate with you emotionally and tie to your running identity.
Create specific scripts for different race situations, early miles might need “Stay patient” while late-race fatigue needs “Finish strong.”
Test these phrases during training runs, especially during challenging workouts.
The goal is to build automaticity so the right self-talk appears naturally when you need it most on race day.
Practice thought replacement during training.
When negative thoughts arise (“This hurts too much”), immediately switch to a prepared positive alternative (“I’ve handled this pace before”).
The quick switch is a learnable skill that improves with repetition.
Visualization: Your Mind’s Training Ground
Close your eyes and imagine running your goal race from start to finish, feeling every sensation and seeing every detail.
You’re not just daydreaming, you’re activating the same neural pathways you’ll use during the actual race.
Research confirms [9] that visualization techniques improve motor skills, increase self-confidence, reduce anxiety, and enhance endurance performance.
The science is remarkable: your brain processes vividly imagined experiences similarly to real ones.
Studies using fMRI show [10] that visualization shifts brain activity from logical processing to creative imagination, firing neurons that create “neurologically real” memories.
Mental rehearsal strengthens motor patterns without physical wear and tear.
The classic University of Chicago study demonstrated this powerfully: one group practiced free throws physically, improving 24%; another group only visualized successful free throws, improving 23%.
Nearly identical improvement from mental practice alone.
For maximum effectiveness, visualization should engage all five senses and include perspective, emotion, environment, task, and timing elements.
Outcome visualization means seeing yourself crossing the finish line at your goal time, achieving your race objectives, and celebrating success.
This creates motivation and clarity about what you’re working toward.
Process visualization involves mental rehearsal of race execution, your pacing strategy, fueling protocol, and tactical decisions at specific course points.
This prepares your mind for the actual experience of executing your race plan.
Coping visualization is what separates good mental training from great mental training.
Elite athletes don’t just visualize success, research shows [11] they visualize obstacles and mentally rehearse overcoming them.
Imagine hitting mile 20 feeling exhausted, then see yourself successfully implementing your coping strategies and pushing through.
Include emotional conditioning by visualizing the highs and lows you’ll experience, preparing yourself to remain focused and resilient under pressure.
Practice this daily starting 4-6 weeks before your goal race.
Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and visualize your entire race with sensory detail: the sound of the starting gun, the feeling of pavement under your feet, the rhythm of your breathing, the crowds cheering.
Create “if…then” scenarios for potential race challenges.
If the weather is hot, then you’ll adjust your pace and increase hydration.
If you start feeling fatigued at mile 18, then you’ll use your prepared self-talk and focus cues.
This mental preparation builds confidence because you’ve already “experienced” various scenarios and practiced appropriate responses.
 Where Your Focus Goes, Performance Follows
Where you direct your attention during a run has measurable effects on your performance and efficiency.
The research on attentional focus reveals something important: external focus of attention generally improves movement efficiency more than internal focus.
Studies show [12] that benefits of external focus include reduced muscular activity, higher peak force, greater speed, and longer endurance.
External focus promotes automatic motor control, while internal focus can cause conscious interference with otherwise smooth movements.
In running specifically, research found [13] that external focus of attention led to significantly better running economy compared to all other attentional conditions.
But here’s the nuance that matters for endurance athletes:
Distance runners don’t stick to one attentional strategy throughout a race.
Research shows [14] they flexibly allocate attention across both internal cues (breathing, muscle tension, perceived effort) and external cues (other runners, course landmarks, pace feedback).
This flexibility is key.
Association means monitoring body feedback, your breathing rhythm, muscle tension, pace, and perceived effort.
Elite runners use more associative strategies than recreational runners, staying connected to important performance information.
Dissociation directs attention away from physical sensations toward external stimuli or unrelated thoughts.
This can be valuable during temporarily difficult patches, but research indicates [15] that too much internal dissociation (blocking body feedback) is associated with hitting the wall.
The optimal approach varies by race phase.
In early miles, use moderate association to monitor effort and avoid starting too fast, with external focus on smooth, efficient movement patterns.
During the middle miles, practice flexible attention switching, brief internal monitoring followed by external refocusing.
Set regular check-in intervals at mile markers or aid stations.
In late miles when fatigue increases, strategic attention management becomes critical.
Increased association helps you monitor and adjust your effort, while specific external focus cues (“Quick feet,” “Push the ground”) help maintain form when you’re tired.
Train attentional flexibility during workouts.
Practice a systematic body scan from head to feet, assessing tension and form without over-focusing on any one element.
Train external focus by concentrating on movement effects rather than movements themselves: focus on the sound of your foot striking the ground, not the mechanics of your foot placement.
During easy runs, alternate between 2-minute blocks of internal and external focus, practicing the switch on command.
For difficult moments, have dissociation techniques ready: mental math exercises like counting backward from 1000, environmental observation games, or strategic use of music.
Research supports [16] that distraction techniques can help manage temporary discomfort without losing touch with important effort feedback.
Race Day: When Mental Preparation Meets Physical Training
Your race-day mental game begins days before you toe the starting line.
Set realistic, flexible goals using an A-B-C structure: your ideal performance, a solid performance you’d be satisfied with, and a minimum acceptable outcome.
Research demonstrates [17] that clear goals improve performance by reducing anxiety while increasing self-confidence, concentration, and commitment.
Expect the race to be hard.
This isn’t negative thinking, it’s strategic mental preparation called “bracing yourself.”
Studies show that runners tolerate high perceived effort better and are less likely to slow down when the discomfort doesn’t exceed what they expected.
Practice a mental taper alongside your physical taper.
Research indicates [18] that mental fatigue before endurance exercise reduces performance, so protect your cognitive resources in race week just like you’re protecting your physical energy.
Avoid strenuous mental tasks and unnecessary decision-making.
Intensify your visualization practice in the final 5-7 days, conducting daily mental walk-throughs of the course and your race plan.
Race morning requires intentional psychological preparation.
Establish a consistent routine you’ve practiced during training, including a brief 5-minute visualization session.
When pre-race nerves arrive, and they will, reframe anxiety as excitement.
Research shows [19] that telling yourself you’re excited rather than nervous improves performance because anxiety and excitement share physiological responses.
The label you use changes how you interpret those sensations.
Practice acceptance of discomfort rather than fighting it.
A groundbreaking study found [20] that teaching beginners to accept exercise discomfort through acceptance and commitment therapy resulted in a 55% increase in time to exhaustion.
During the race, chunk the distance into manageable psychological segments.
Don’t think about running 26.2 miles, think about running to mile 5, then reassess.
Breaking down the distance provides psychological relief and keeps you present.
Smile strategically.
Research shows [21] that smiling reduces perception of effort, increases positive thoughts, and improves running economy.
It seems too simple to work, but the data supports it.
When you struggle late in a race, implement your emergency protocol: immediately consume carbohydrates if energy is low, focus on one form cue at a time, find an external focal point, and deploy your prepared self-talk scripts.
Remember that recovery is possible even after hitting difficult patches.
The mental resilience you’ve built through training, pushing through hard workouts, running on tired days, practicing psychological skills, prepared you for exactly these moments.
Your Mental Training Starts Now
Physical training builds your engine.
Mental training determines how much of that engine you can access when it matters most.
The research is clear: self-talk, visualization, and attention control are evidence-based strategies that improve endurance performance.
More importantly, these are learnable skills that improve with practice.
Start with one strategy this week.
Develop your self-talk scripts before your next hard workout.
Practice a 5-minute visualization session tonight.
Pay attention to where your focus goes during tomorrow’s run.
Mental preparation isn’t mystical or optional, it’s a trainable skill backed by decades of research.
The difference between achieving your goal and falling short often comes down to these mental strategies.
Your body is capable of more than your mind currently allows.
Train both, and watch what becomes possible.
