Mental Resilience for Runners
Have you ever felt like stopping during a run or race because it feels too hard? Ever dread heading out the door because the workout is intimidating, long, and fast? Ever think you “can’t do it”?
Going through a rough patch at the Canadian Death Race in 2021.
We’ve all had those thoughts towards running and throughout life in general. If running long distances and challenging yourself was easy, everyone would do it and it wouldn’t be so rewarding in the end. The black and white nature of the physical aspect of training is easy: you put in the work, you see results. But the mental aspect? Not so clear cut, but in my opinion, a strong mind can be more valuable than well-conditioned muscles. You can train your mind to become stronger, just like your muscles. But again, it’s not as easy to see progress because the mental training data doesn’t show up on a nice graph in Strava.
Over the years, I have been adding tips and tricks to my mental resilience toolbox and now I find that my mind is often more reliable than my muscles during the low points of hard races or workouts. Here are a few tips to help train your mind:
1) Motivation: Write down what your intrinsic motivation is for running/training. I would encourage you to read this everyday, especially before heading out for a run. Intrinsic motivation is why YOU want to do this, not why you want to do this for OTHERS. Eg) You are motivated to explore your potential with running in the marathon distance; You are motivated to set a positive example of health and self-motivation for your kids; You are motivated to live a healthy lifestyle and running is your chosen way to do this; etc.
2) Positive self-affirmation: Write down a few phrases about why and how you can do this hard training run/race. Eg) You have done other hard things in life that make this seem like a breeze in comparison to _____; “I know I am strong, capable and fit because I am dedicated and have put the time into training”; etc.
Smiling my way through the Moose Mountain 29km in 2023.
3) Smile: Eliud Kipchoge is famous for saying that he tends to smile when the going gets tough in races. If he's suffering, he knows his competitors are also suffering, so if they see him smile, they won't think he's hurting too bad. Studies have been proven to show that if you smile, even if it's forced, you are in fact likely to be in a more positive mindset.
4) Mantra: Pick a short mantra based on your motivation and self-affirmation and write it down. Some people even write this in pen on their wrist so that during a race they can look down and be reminded of their strengths and motivation. Eg) I am strong. I have put in the work. I will feel proud and accomplished if I persevere through this low point.
5) Positivity: Try to look for the positive spin in all situations (way easier said than done!). Eg) If you're hurting during a workout, try to flip your brain into thinking "Yes! I am so grateful to be hurting right now because it's making me stronger and it will make the race seem easier. I am thankful for my body to be able to work hard and be healthy."
6) Visualization: When you have a race, workout, or goal on the calendar, spend a few minutes everyday visualizing how you want it to go. Close your eyes and imagine yourself running across the finish line feeling strong. Think about what and when you’re going to eat and hydrate. You have a big smile on your face and you give your partner/kids/friend a big hug at the end. You call your Mom to tell you how it went and she is so proud of you. You are running paces that you never imagined you could, but here you are, living in a world beyond your imagination.
Staying strong at the end of the 2024 BMO Vancouver Half Marathon.
7) Prepare for setbacks and challenges: These are inevitable, but if we’re prepared to deal with them they won’t seem so bad. Make a mental list of what might cause your race to go sideways and figure out a reaction or solution to each problem. Eg) Your stomach begins to feel uneasy. What will you do? Stop to walk a bit, but don’t discount your race from being over. You remain calm, take a few minutes to try to calm your stomach, and reset your mind to potentially pivot from your A goal to your B goal, which is still an incredible accomplishment.
8) Trust: Trust the process. Trust yourself. Trust your training. Trust your coach. Trust your body. Trust your mind. Trust your support network. Trust.