Competition Energy Conservation

Ken Rideout shares his intense approach to conserving mental and physical energy during marathon races, emphasizing the importance of eliminating all non-essential activities.

Pre-Race Preparation

• Arrives 7 days early for international races to adjust circadian rhythm
• Isolates himself completely before races
  • Avoids social interactions and dinner plans
  • Stays alone to maintain mental focus
• Spends 10-12 weeks training
  • Dedicates 90 minutes to 2.5 hours daily
  • Treats each race like "personal Olympics"

Race Day Mental Approach

• Maintains complete focus on performance
  • Avoids socializing or making friends
  • Stays isolated to preserve mental energy
• Adopts tunnel vision mentality
  • Only focuses on road directly ahead
  • Doesn't waste energy looking at surroundings
  • Doesn't even check watch unless necessary

Physical Energy Conservation

• Runs the straightest possible line
• Minimizes all non-essential movements
• Maintains personal space
  • Actively prevents others from getting too close
  • Uses defensive positioning at race start
• Every movement must contribute to forward progress

Mental Framework

• Believes mindset is everything
  • What you tell yourself becomes truth
  • Others' opinions don't matter
  • Only personal belief matters
• Treats himself as a professional athlete
  • Visualizes winning "Olympic gold"
  • Maintains complete focus on performance
• Acknowledges being "selfish" and "alpha" during races
  • Recognizes it's necessary for peak performance
  • Doesn't apologize for competitive mindset