I see so many good runners who do great in training, and kick ass in control runs , then when it comes to race time they fold.
What can person do to overcome this?
I know I am not the only runner who feels this way.
Oh by the way, I am talking about myself.
90% mental and half physical.
You love training hard, but you don't love racing. What you need to do is get yourself into races where you stand a chance of winning, and learn how to control your emotions, then you will learn how to win.
Gradually, you can apply these tactics to bigger and bigger races.
I've been in racing for 30 years and...wait, let me put my teeth back in. Ok. As I was saying, I've been in racing for 30 years, and I think one of the highest and best purposes of a coach is to teach a kid how to prepare mentally to race.
We all have so many doubts - if a guy knows how to inspire a runner- well, that's at least half the battle.
Watch videos of Joe Newton talking - I think there are some on Dyestat. A good coach has a way of making you believe you can excel and not fold.
Otherwise, everyone develops mental tricks to get over mental doubts. I just tell myself before a big race that I'll just tempo it. Then the competitive fires kick in and I'm off.
Apparently boys need to feel they are not letting down their team. Girls have a more self-centered motivation. Or at least I read that somewhere.
If you are a workout champion and a racing dud, either:
(1) you are overtraining and leaving your best efforts for workouts; this leaves you too tired or frazzled to race hard
or
(2) you pussy out in races when it hurts. So yes, that would be a mental issue.
It's more complicated than that. What he needs if he wants to win or be more competitive is the right races.