Article written by Coach Brant Stachel
Marathon success is just as much about your mental preparation as it is about your physical training. Throughout my career as a mental performance coach, I’ve developed what I call the IGNITE Method to help my athletes harness a healthy, competitive mindset.
In the first part of this article series, we discussed the importance of identifying your mental barriers and understanding how they show up in your training and racing. In this second piece, we’re looking at something that most runners skip: who you choose to be when you compete.
What Is a Competitive Identity?
A competitive identity is who you step into when it’s time to race. It’s the version of you that shows up when pressure hits and everything is on the line.
I find that most runners don’t think about this. They show up hoping it’ll be “a good day.” But when the nerves spike, or the plan falls apart, they don’t have an anchor. And that’s when races start to slip away — not because they aren’t fit, but because they’re mentally scattered.
When you define your competitive identity, you create a blueprint:
These are the traits I want to bring.
This is how I respond to stress.
This is who I am when I race.
It’s not fake confidence. It’s a decision.
Using Competitive Identity as an Anchor
An athlete I’ve worked with named Alex came to me chasing a Boston-qualifying time. Some days, they crushed workouts. Other days, the same paces felt impossible.
I remember Alex telling me, “I never know who’s going to show up.”
I helped them create a competitive identity based on these three traits: Calm. Focused. Adaptable.
That became Alex’s anchor. Their cue was a small one: tugging their shirt before every run. That act reminded Alex, “I’m not hoping for confidence. I’m choosing it.”
When race day came, things didn’t go perfectly. But Alex didn’t panic. They stayed calm and focused, and ran their best race yet. Alex’s Boston-qualifying time was achieved by showing up as their best self when it counted.
Define Your Competitive Identity
Start with this question: Who do I want to be when I race?
Forget the outcome for a second. Think about how you want to carry yourself when the race gets hard. Do you want to be calm? Aggressive? Steady? Relentless?
Pick several traits that feel honest and powerful for you. Then give them a name. Something you can recall when the pain kicks in. This becomes your competitive identity.
A Marathon Mindset Shift You Can Train
This isn’t magic. It’s not “fake it till you make it” either. It’s practice.
Once you’ve got your identity in mind, start practicing it before workouts, on long runs, anytime the mental side gets shaky. Use a mantra, a breath, or a physical action, such as adjusting your watch, to signal that shift.
When things go wrong mid-race — and they will — this identity gives you something to return to. It’s not about controlling every variable. It’s about deciding, “No matter what’s happening around me, this is who I am in this moment.”
To recap, here are the four steps to follow:
- Pick three words that describe the version of you that races best. Examples: Focused. Brave. Composed.
- Name that competitive identity with a label that sticks. “Steady Storm.” “Marathon Maverick.” “Fearless Finisher.”
- Create a cue, such as a phrase, gesture, or breath, that you can use to activate your competitive identity.
- Practice that activation in your next big session, not just on race day.
It might feel a bit odd at first. That’s normal. But with reps, it starts to feel automatic. Your mind gets the signal: “I know this space. I belong here.”
I dig into the full framework in my book Fast & Free, but this is the starting point. Don’t leave your race day identity to chance. Decide who you want to be, and practice becoming that person now.
Next up in the Marathon Mindset article series: Racing Starts the Night Before
We’ll talk about your pre-race routine and why the mindset you bring to race morning is built long before your alarm goes off. A good routine doesn’t just warm up your body; it locks in your focus.
Brant Stachel is a mental performance coach, registered psychotherapist, and former professional triathlete. He has coached more than 25 athletes to international teams, including six with Olympic Trials-qualifying times. He works with endurance athletes, from high schoolers to Olympians, helping them train the mental side of performance through his IGNITE Method. Brant is the author of Fast & Free. He coaches runners through TeamRunRun.com and is a mental performance coach through CEPmindset.com.