Think Right
	Mankato Marathon Sport Psych Team Brought to you by UCare.

Purpose of The Mankato Marathon Sport Psych Team: New this year for the Mankato Marathon, members of The Sport Psych Team will provide runners with mental strategies and mental toughness tips to help them reach their full potential. We are doing this to provide awareness of the mental component of running, to help runners accomplish their goal, and to help promote the uniqueness of the Mankato Marathon.

Who are we: The Sport Psych Team includes trained professionals including sport psychology consultants, psychologists, sport psychologists, counselors, and graduate students in those areas. We believe this is the only active sport psychology team connected to a marathon in the U.S. so we will be making history together!

What we will be doing: Based off of the successful Toronto Marathon Psyching Team, we will be helping runners before, during, and after their race with mental toughness. We will be providing runners with brief interventions and mental toughness tips to help runners run their best. Some of the mental and performance strategies we discuss with runners include: goal setting, relaxation training, imagery, positive self-talk, what to concentrate on during the race, and other ways to deal with running pain, discomfort and adversity.

We can help all runners, but here are a few specific examples of who we can help:

• A runner who is running their first marathon, and wants to prepare for if they “hit the wall”
• A runner who doubts their ability and wishes he would have physically prepared differently for the race
• A runner who wants to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but if they don’t qualify will feel defeated
• A runner who knows that she is too nervous for the race, but doesn’t know what to do
• A runner who is coming back from injury and is unsure how the race will go
• A runner who wants to know about what they should focus on during the race to get the most out of their body

Where you will find us: We will be available to runners at the Expo, at the starting line, during the race, and after the race.

• At the Expo: We will have a booth at the Expo and provide free mental strategies to runners. We will be talking with runners, and providing tangible strategies to help runners during the race.
• The Morning of the Race: We will be providing assistance the morning of the race in two ways:
• “Psychs on the Bus” – Several team members will be riding the bus to the start with runners to provide them last minute mental tips and strategies.
• “Psychs at the Start” – We will also be at the start of the race to provide last minute mental tips and strategies. Look for our tent at the start!
• During the Race: We will be providing assistance during the race in two ways:
• “Psychs on Bikes” – Several team members will be on bikes along the course, and can offer runners support and mental strategies during the run.
• “Psychs on the Run” – Team members will also be running with runners for short distances and providing support and assistance on foot. We will be at various parts along the route. We have found this is particularly helpful for runners “post-wall,” so you will find many of us towards the end of the race.
• After the Race: We will be available to runners after the race to talk about your race, and put your best “spin” on your performance. We can help you talk through how the race went for you, and any adversity that you experienced during the race.

How to find us: All members will have matching shirts that will say “The Mankato Marathon Sport Psych Team” on the back. You won’t miss us. Every runner can benefit from a short conversation with a member of the Sport Psych Team.

Please find us at the various locations above. We know you will find it fun, helpful, and it’s free.

In addition to The Sport Psych Team activities, the Director of the team, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff, is an invited speaker at the Expo Friday evening. She will be talking about mental preparation for running, and mental strategies runners can use during the race.

About The Sport Psych Team Director:

Cindra S. Kamphoff, Ph.D. is a Certified Sport Psychology Consultant who specializes in the psychology of running and marathoning. She is organizing The Sport Psych Team through her role as an assistant professor at Minnesota State University. She coordinates the master’s program in Sport and Exercise Psychology at MSU, and her current research focuses on the psychology of running. Dr. Kamphoff operates her own sport psychology consulting practice for runners called The Runner’s Edge. As one of the only sport psychology consulting practices focused on runners in the nation, she helps runners reach their potential using their mind. Dr. Kamphoff is also an avid long distance runner and loved running the inaugural Mankato Marathon. Instead of running this year, she has decided to apply her knowledge and expertise in mental toughness to help other runners reach their full potential!

Cindra in the News

10/22/11 - Mental Medics - Mankato Free Press article

10/18/11 - Letting go and flowing to success - Mankato Free Press Article

10/7/11 - Athletics: The Sport Psych Team is Making History at the Mankato Marathon - Runnersweb.com article

10/5/11 - Taper Time - Scale back smartly and get to the starting line fresh, healthy and ready to run - RunnersWorld.com article

10/4/11 - Mankato Marathon Sport Psych Team Provide Runners With Mental Strategies To Reach Their Full Potential - KEYC-TV article

9/28/11 - The Mentality of Marathoners - Sunrise Hawaii News Now

9/4/11 - Kampoff: The past can prepare us for the future - Mankato Free Press Blog

8/19/11 - Sport, Exercise Psychology prof offers tips for weekend athletes - MSU-M article

8/19/11 - Cindra Kamphoff helps runners overcome mental blocks - Minnesota State University article

8/18/11 - Minnesota Sport Psychology Consultant Works With Runners to Help Them Reach Their Potential - RunnersWeb.com article

8/14/11 - Kamphoff: Attitude is key to athletic performance - Mankato Free Press Article

8/1/11 - Mind over Matter - Mankato Free Press article

Are you interested in being a Member of the Sport Psych Team?

We are seeking volunteers who are trained professionals or graduate students in the following areas: sport psychology, psychology and counseling. For The Sport Psych Team to be successful, we need you! If you are interested in being a part of The Sport Psych Team please contact Dr. Kamphoff at the information provided below. Please join us in making a difference and helping runners gain awareness about the mental component of running!

For Further Information:

If you would like more information about The Sport Psych Team or the psychology of running, please contact Dr. Kamphoff at (507) 389-6112 or cindra.kamphoff@mnsu.edu. Information about the psychology of running is also available at The Runner’s Edge.

We look forward to helping runners reach their full potential and can’t wait for race weekend!