Got goals? Great news. We love a bit of ambition here at Great Run and smashing your PB – that’s personal best, for the uninitiated – is a great goal to have on your radar.
But how do you turn your new PB dream into a reality? We’ve got five helpful tips to get you on your way.
A mindset for success
Mindset is crucial to running success. There’s strong evidence to suggest that repeating positive mantras – “I can do this”, “I’m feeling strong” – actually enhances your running performance. In the same way, challenging or dismissing negative thoughts can help build resilience and self belief, which has a knock on impact on your running.
Visualisation can also be a helpful technique: imagine yourself beating your PB, using all of your senses to make the scene as compelling and persuasive as possible. From the taste of your energy drink to the weight of the medal around your neck, creating a ‘showreel’ of your new PB performance can help it become a reality.
Practical preparation
Preparing for the big day – whether it’s an organised event or a solo run you’ve personally prepared for – is a critical part of the process. Make sure you eat well the night before and on the morning of your run, that you’re properly hydrated, that you’ve got your kit laid out ready and that your trainers are broken in.
At Great Run we get in touch with runners well ahead of race day with vital information about parking, road closures and other important details, but depending on your race you may need to do some research yourself. Preparing a ticklist in advance can really help settle those last-minute nerves and help you head into your event feeling super confident.
Ride the wave
It’s an obvious point, but an important one: if you’re taking part in a big event on the day you plan to hit PB glory, make sure you start off in the right wave. Waves are groups of runners aiming for a similar time who start a race together – that way, you don’t have to worry too much about dodging slower runners or feeling despondent if you’re overtaken. You’ve got this!
Let’s talk about pace
If you’re trying to beat a particular time over a certain distance, you’ll need to focus on pace in your training. Do your research – work out what your average speed per mile or per kilometre needs to be in order to comfortably meet your target, and make sure you run at that pace for at least one of your training sessions per week. But you’ll also have to exceed that pace in order to maximise your chances of hitting it on the day – yes, we’re talking about interval training. In other words, shorter, faster bursts during longer runs, plus hill training to maximise resistance and get your body working harder. That way, a longer run at your target pace will feel – and be – achievable.
Support crew
It’s a great idea to enlist family and friends to support you on the day – there’s nothing like a familiar face and an encouraging shout to spur you on! But your support crew can also be virtual. Sharing your training progress online, connecting with other runners using social media and hashtags, finding people taking part in the same race on: all of these are fantastic ways to feel encouraged in the run up to your PB bid and build that all-important positive mindset.
