Something cool happens in October. Every athlete I currently coach has a season-ending race. A finale for what has been a great year of running for all.

One of the coolest things about that is I can now tailor applicable coaching advice to many of you all at the same time.

As you all prepare for your finales, I wanted to share my favourite reflective exercise to do before every race.

This exercise works in written form for those that enjoy writing or journaling like me, but it can also simply be done as a visualization exercise.

Whether that be when you’re climbing that next neverending uphill, as you clean the mud off your legs, or as you eat that tasty post run burger.

All you need to do is ask yourself this question:

• What do I want to happen on race day?

Next: Visualize that thing happening.

Now, the important part. Ask yourself…

• What are all the “what if’s” that might stop me from getting there?

In other words…

• What might go wrong and prevent that thing from happening?

Before my first ever trail race as an adult and my first ever ultra, I went through a mental list of all the things that could go wrong. It ranged from hamstring cramps to going out too fast to getting sick on race day to going out too slow.

I then identified what I would do to combat each unlikely scenario. To overcome each “what if”. To reframe my goals. To still have a great day.

I also visualized myself running fast and efficiently on key sections of the course, both in training (on the course itself) and outside the course.

This is one of the most powerful parts about being able to get on course before the race.

You can actually visualize yourself succeeding. Accomplishing that end goal you want, and all the steps it’s going to take to get there.

I even continue visualizing all the way into the race itself. Before I won Sulphur Springs 20K in 2024, I spent the second half of the race visualizing catching up to Aaron, breaking away from him, and breaking that finish line tape with a smile on my face. I did all of that.

In my most recent race (UTHC 28K), I let most other thoughts leave my mind as I visualized the fight to the finish that I felt coming between myself and Anne-Marie Comeau.

Visualization is such a powerful tool to utilize, and there’s no better time to practice than now as your races near closer and you finish up some of your final key long runs and workouts leading into your race.

If you can visualize both the good and the “what if’s”, you will then be prepared for anything on race day.

So I encourage you to think of all that could go wrong on race day, and how you would overcome each obstacle. You’ve already built up the mental resilience in training. Now it’s time to ensure you’re ready for any scenario, and ready to put that resilience to the test.

Thanks for reading and see you soon!