PSYOPs - Part I - Trigger Points

We must resort to ... PSYOPs!
(Courtesy jared @ Flickr)

A 26-mile race is a bit different from shorter endeavors, for sure. It's not all out like a sprint. It doesn't have the horrible bear-on-your-back feeling of the second lap of an 800m run. You're not likely to run into acute lactic acid buildup felt in a hard 5K. The distance is unique. For example, did you know that the first half of a marathon is not complete at 13.1 miles? From both the physiological and psychological effort points of view, halfway is more like 18 to 20 miles into the race. I know - that sounds crazy. But that's about where the trouble usually begins based on the experience of many marathoners before us. So, we simply must have some formidable psychological weapons at our disposal to deal with what our left brain will begin to tell us at that point in the race.


One PSYOPs trick we can use in this battle for our race running survival is for us to set what I'll call trigger points in the race route. A trigger point is a location on the course which either holds some personal significance or which - by virtue of it's geography or spot in the route - can be used as a mental cue to motivate and inspire. Perhaps an even better way to describe a trigger point is to label a few possible ones along our route and describe their personal or geographic significance. In the map below, there are a half-dozen such points labeled.

Possible PSYOPs trigger points in the Louisiana Marathon

Here we go:

(1) Heading West Towards Home (Near Mile 19)

We've just come out of the out and back loop on the east side of town and we're heading west back toward downtown and the river. This is about the earliest spot where we can charge ourselves up by realizing we're now heading home (home, as in the finish line).

(2) Off the Back Streets and onto Goodwood (Near Mile 21)

At this spot, we're back onto Goodwood Boulevard, one of the main thoroughfares through town. We can think of this as entering the expressway and getting off the back roads. From here, our psychological speed can be increased to 70mph.

(3) Homes of Bears and Red Stickers (Near Mile 23)

In the space of one short little block, we pass by both Catholic High School and St. Joseph's Academy, two great institutions of Catholic secondary education in the Baton Rouge community, and - it just so happens - where the timelapserunner's family members have attended or are attending. We are reminded of why we value the health aspects of running and with whom we'll get to celebrate when we complete our goal - and we feel like a teenager with boundless energy. (Definite personal significance)

(4) Heading North Towards Home (Between Mile 23 and 24)

We make a strategic turn north here, through tree-line Park Boulevard. We get the sense that we are closing in on our goal, shortening the distance between us and the finish line. We leave the park and the lakes below us now. We're clearly getting close, less than a 5K's run to the finish.

(5) Slingshotting Off the North Blvd. Overpass (Near Mile 25)

Coming down off this overpass, we will be turning on the psychological afterburners. The boost that comes from that downhill will slingshot us towards the finish of this race now. We can actually smell downtown from here and we can hear the traffic on I-110 that we're soon to pass under. Not far to go now.

(6) Heading through City Walls onto Lafayette (Between Mile 25 and Mile 26)

We make the final turn north at Lafayette. It may be one-way the other way for vehicular traffic on normal days, but today is not a normal day. Today, Lafayette Street is one-way OUR way - to the finish line. There are literally thousands of people along the street-side cheering on us (OK - this is PSYOPs, you know). We can already see the finishing banner and clock (not really just yet). Any thoughts of walking after this point have vanished from our mind as we turn the Gymboss timer off and head for the tape.

Whew! I am so pumped up just writing (and reading) that stuff. I really think this PSYOPs might actually work.

We'll share other ideas on PSYOPs in a forthcoming post.

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TODAY'S WORKOUT: The long run this week is a measly 3 miles. Planned for 14:41 average pace; actual 14:07, with 0:30 / 0:40 intervals and running pace nominally at 13:13. Active-isolated stretching before heading out. The weather was not cooperating, as thunder storms passed overhead. Had to wait a good while till it all cleared (see pic).

Local showers delay Saturday's long run