(Oct 28) TWO-TIME New York Marathon winner, Mexico's German Silva, once said: 'Sometimes I run more with my mind than with my body.'

Indeed, sports psychology research has shown that the mind is as important as the legs and lungs in taking a runner to the finish line.

Two-time marathon finisher Christopher Koh, 45, gets in tune when the going gets tough.

Said the credit communications manager: 'During runs, I hum idiotic songs to myself - those with a catchy, easy-to-sing choruses that repeat over and over again.

'I also focus on looking at the surroundings.'

His methods are mental strategies called 'dissociation', according to sports psychologist Poh Yu Khing.

The former sports psychology head at Singapore Sports Council said that when fatigue sets in, one can try to focus on other things than the pain signals.

He added: 'Instead of monitoring your body signals and feeling more of the pain, dissociate yourself from the discomfort.

'Distract your mind, think about something else totally unrelated. Instead of looking down on the ground, look around and focus externally.'

This is especially vital when runners 'hit the wall' and the body suddenly feels weak.

Poh said 'the wall' is 'both a state of mind as well as the physical body'.

He added: 'Negative thoughts and excessive worry will lead to further tension and tightness, which makes running even more difficult.'

Hence, mental control and relaxation during the run could minimise 'the wall'.

Poh also advised sufficiently hydration to aid both physical and mental performance.

Other mental strategies, such as defining your goals clearly, positive self-talk and imagery and visualisation can also be used to help runners in training and racing.