Has anyone ever said anything to you during a race that actually helped you?

The main thing that has affected me has been hearing what place I'm in (both negatively and positively). If you feel like you're moving well and hear that you're either right where you need to be or getting close to that desired place range, hearing your place can be a big-time motivator to keep going. Conversely if you're fading or unable to make moves to pass people, hearing what place you're in can be very discouraging.

Definitely wrote:

The main thing that has affected me has been hearing what place I'm in (both negatively and positively). If you feel like you're moving well and hear that you're either right where you need to be or getting close to that desired place range, hearing your place can be a big-time motivator to keep going. Conversely if you're fading or unable to make moves to pass people, hearing what place you're in can be very discouraging.

Agreed, I was just going to say the same thing.

The actually things people say almost never help. Sometimes it helps to know that people are watching. When I'm not feeling mentally strong, sometimes knowing that people will see me get passed if I let up is enough to keep me in the race, and down the final stretch it can be one of the things going through my head.

Also, one time when I was anchoring the DMR, I was in the lead and I had kind of fallen asleep. I was going hard but not 100% since I had another race later and thought I had it won. Coming out of the last turn my coach yelled "he's coming!" and I was just barely able to hold him off.

So "he's coming" is definitely on my list of helpful things to yell.

When someone yells to the runner behind me "GO ___ (same name as me)". That guy with my name immediately becomes my rival.

My friend is an 800 runner and he just kind of does cross country. The end of their league championships finished on a track this year and my mom yelled at him to "show us the 800" and he sped up immediately and caught 2 or 3 people in the last 200 meters. His kick normally isn't that good.

interesting, that makes sense... so, this would be coming from your coach?

^the above poster is right on.

Also, I remember a couple 4X800s where I got the stick ~30m down & barely closed that gap in the first 500, and started hurting, but teammates ran along the backstretch cheering "Get him!--he's dying!" That possibility made me keep pushing as hard as possible in hopes my opponents would start coming back to me, which they did.

I used to be the same way, usually someone yelling something at me wouldn't make a difference. But one race I was running for a huge PR and was on school record pace (14:32) and my coach yelled "Don't wish you would have!". That really stuck to me and I closed so hard with those words in my head and ran 14:24. Now that phrase usually stick with me every race.

"There's a girl right behind you."

I was running Marine Corps Marathon and a spectator at Mile 15 told me there was a shortcut to Mile 20 right up the hill. Best advice I ever got. Helped me qualify for Boston numerous times.

thejeff wrote:

interesting, that makes sense... so, this would be coming from your coach?

Most likely yes. If you have knowledgeable teammates (especially college) and/or parents, they might also say it too. In high school, I'd say it's going to be your coach that says this 9 times out of 10 though.

I was 19 miles into a marathon. A cub scout yelled to me "You got this" I then knew immediately that I would finish.

Was about to make a wrong turn in a race and someone yelled out "No! This way!" That helped me alot.

Do not settle. Move up.

That always helps, me, especially in XC

Running NY marathon few years back and was already letting a little doubt creep in Brooklyn. I was where course is narrow after 3 starts come together. And some giant bald Brother steps out of crowd and bellows "There's no question!". It was as if he read my mind. He looked like Lawrence Fishburn in Matrix. Self-doubt vanished.

When I was a sophomore in HS, I was running an 800m with one of my teammates. We both had a 2:00,.. PR and our goal was to go sub 2.

We came through 500 a little under 1:15 when he started to slow down. I was running to the outside of him, and for some reason I started to slow down too. Maybe because he was a senior and I had never beaten him in a race. When he noticed I was slowing down too, he said: don't be such a pssy, you're faster. For some reason this gave me the motivation to speed up. I ran 1:58.5 that day. He ran 2:01 and ended up never running sub 2, while I never ran slower than 1:59.

Me and this guy neck and neck leading a 5k and he says the DUMBEST thing anyone can ever say in this situation

"I think this pace is too fast for me" like we were working together or something

One small surge and he was done

I get motivated after being told I have the possibility of getting a PR or breaking a specific time barrier. In XC races, for some reason I find it helpful to find someone I am slowly passing and encouraging them between breaths. They'll usually speed up and I can pace off them. Later they'll end up burning out and I can surge past them.

Mismo wrote:

Me and this guy neck and neck leading a 5k and he says the DUMBEST thing anyone can ever say in this situation

"I think this pace is too fast for me" like we were working together or something

One small surge and he was done

Cool story, bro.

We all know you were the one who said it and got dropped and you have regretted it ever since.