Vision Boards For Endurance Runners and Walkers

The use of a vision board is a key method for leveraging daily the Law of Attraction for your training for or racing in a marathon, half marathon, or other endurance race.

What is a vision board?

A vision board is usually a poster-size board containing images and words that are representative of what you want manifested in your life.

The Law of Attraction says, "Like attracts like." And we attract more of the people, things, and experiences that we regularly see in images and words that directly or abstractly represent them. This is the power behind a vision board.

Why should I use a vision board for endurance running or walking?

You should use one as an endurance runner or walker because staring at one before engaging in visualization gives you starting points for the scenarios that you will visualize for activating the Law of Attraction for your training or racing goals.

How should I create my vision board?

1. Buy a large, foam-backed poster board. You should be able to buy this from a small-business-support store, from an architect-support store, from an office-supply store, or from a hobby-supply store. Getting a foam-backed board will ensure that your vision board can stand on its own. (How is that for a powerful metaphor?!) And getting a large one -- say, 20" x 30" -- will ensure that your vision board will accommodate several images and words. You may prefer white because it will blend better with your surroundings. You may prefer black because it will make your images and words "pop" off the board. Or you may prefer another color that "speaks" to you as an endurance runner or walker -- such as the dominant color of the branding associated with a particular marathon or half marathon in which you plan to compete.
2. Obtain several images that inspire you. You can get these images by entering "running" or "marathon" or other significant words into a search engine for Web-based images, saving the digital images that you like to your computer, and printing those digital images. You can get these images by buying running- or walking-related magazines and cutting the most inspiring photos and graphics from those magazines. You can get these images by cutting them from colorful brochures for various foot-races. And you can get these images by shooting and printing your own photos of running- or walking-related scenes and objects -- such as a local foot-race or your pair of shoes.
3. Obtain several words that inspire you. As with the images that you obtain, you can find these through Web searches, within magazines, and in foot-race brochures. And you can use your computer and printer to print meaningful words in sizes, fonts, and text effects (such as bold or underline) that you find readable and stimulating.
4. Draft your vision board. Set aside a few hours to lay out the images and words on your poster board, which you should have laid flat in a location that will not be disturbed for a few days. Play with different arrangements, and trust your gut reactions about what works best for you. Remember: This is your vision, so how your board looks is totally up to you.
5. Wait a few days, then finalize your vision board. Return to your vision-board draft a few days later; replace, remove, or rearrange any words or images that are not quite right; and glue everything down to the board. You may want to experiment with different adhesives -- perhaps on the back of the board with some sample print-outs or cut-outs -- to ensure that everything will stay in place. Depending on the materials that you are using, a glue stick, a spray adhesive, or traditional white glue could work best for you.

Where should I be when I am creating my vision board?

You should draft and later finalize your vision board in a location that is private and quiet. A vision board is a very personal thing, so the privacy will eliminate any worry about others judging what you are doing. A vision board to be most effective should be very inspired, so the solitude -- perhaps with inspiring music playing gently in the background -- is absolutely necessary for creating a vision board that speaks to you deeply. And you should be able to leave the draft version lying flat in a location that will not be disturbed until you can finalize the board.

What are some vision-board image ideas that could support my endurance running or walking?

• Running shoes
• Hydration belt
• Cross-training equipment
• Close-up of strong abdomen
• Runners or walkers in a race
• Runners or walkers in a training session
• Finish-line timer with your desired chip-time
• Scenes from races for which you have registered
• Map with stars where you plan to race in the coming months or years
• Mocked-up race-results page with your desired position or chip-time

What are some vision-board word ideas that could support my endurance running or walking?

• "You can do it!"
• "Strength"
• "Power"
• "Stamina"
• "Endurance"
• "Speed"
• "Pacing"
• "Hydration"
• "Nutrition"
• "Core Strength"
• "Flexibility"
• "Personal Record"
• "Winner"
• "Best in Age Group"

Where should I place my vision board?

You should place your vision board in whatever private or semi-private place you plan to use for your daily visualizations.

How can I make small reproductions of my vision board?

It can be valuable to look at small reproductions of your vision board that you have placed in your car, around your home, and in your office. But how can you make these easily? Here are two methods:

• Take your board to a store that provides photocopying and shipping support for small businesses or for architectural firms, and have the store make several page-size, laminated, color copies.
• Take a digital photo of the board, and make several color prints of the photo in a size or sizes that make the most sense for where you will place them -- such as on your refrigerator, on the dash of your car, and on the mirror in your bathroom.

How many different vision boards can I have?

The best way to start with vision boards for endurance running or walking is to combine all of the associated images and words related to your training and racing on a single board. But you can have as many different vision boards as you want to support your goals as an endurance runner or walker. For example, you may want one specifically about your running or walking training sessions, another one specifically about an upcoming race, and yet another one related to your cross-training activities. And do not be surprised, if you discover that you want to create additional vision boards for other areas of your life. They are so powerful that you will not want to limit them to your running or walking goals.

When should I look at a vision board?

• For five minutes daily before visualizing: You should stare at your primary, poster-size vision board for five minutes each day before your visualize about your endurance running or walking. This will give your visualizations the starting points for all sorts of rich scenarios that will support you as an endurance runner or walker.
• During periods of downtime: You can use downtime throughout your day to look at the small reproductions of your board that you have placed in strategic locations in your home, car, and office. These "mini-sessions" will reinforce your daily five-minute effort.
• Constantly but unconsciously: The small reproductions in your peripheral vision will stimulate your unconscious mind without your making any conscious, deliberate effort to look at them.

What about computer-based vision boards?

A computer-based board is one that you create in special software or at a website, and it can give you these benefits over a physical board:

• Quick access to a wide range of images and words
• Accompaniment by inspiring music
• Stimulating motion

And some computer-based systems let you create a screen-saver version of your board. But a computer-based board cannot beat the portability and valuable physicality of a traditional board. Perhaps the best approach is to use both types: Initially create a physical board, and eventually create a computer-based board that brings the physical board "to life" on your computer!