Last week I covered mental health episodes, today, the focus is on the performance side of the mind. Because as much as it is important to look after our mental health, we also want to go get some big goals as runners. We know that the mental side of training is just as important as the physical….if not more. That is why I created my mental training course, and it is also why I have so many of these episodes to help you work on your own mental toughness.
My personal favorites are Justin Su’a and Michael Gervais, but you can choose which ones work best for you.
Find the Running For Real Podcast on your favorite podcast player Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher, Castbox Overcast, Spotify, Google Play and iHeartRadio Anchor or click the links below to find the show notes page for the episode.
High Performance Coach & Sports Psychologist Cindra Kamphoff gives runners tips on building mental toughness & getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
If you struggle with the mental aspect of running and racing, this podcast with Dr Bhrett McCabe gives lots of runner tips for being your best.
If you feel like you are mentally weak and give up during races. This podcast episode will give you all the skills you need for the mental training to be better.
Jared Ward is a Dad, a Husband, Olympian, runner, and coach. Learn about running form and which shoes can best support your body’s preferred running style, injuries he has worked to overcome, and how to prepare for and run well in the heat, from both a physical and mental perspective. If you want to learn some tips for focusing on the mental skills you need to succeed, this interview provides you tools you can implement into your running and racing strategy no matter what your overall pace might be.
Dr Helen Lane and Professor Andy Lane are sports psychologists who both race marathons, have run over 200 parkruns and even enjoy ultra marathons. They get the running struggles we go through and how important the mental side of training the mind is to racing well. Helen and Andy have both worked with professional athletes to help them reach their potential, as well as teaching runners psychological skills training techniques such as imagery, anxiety regulation, and emotion regulation.
Alex Hutchinson, Ph.D., is an author and journalist who focuses much of his energies on human endurance research. He is also a former middle- and long-distance runner on the Canadian national team. In today’s episode of the Running for Real podcast, Alex adeptly articulates his thoughts on the impact of running with an elite mindset, and what that means today. He points out the effects of surroundings, shoes, weather, and training plans, in how they can effect our running. Whether it is good or bad, or if we can change our mindset into helping our race no matter the obstacle.
Do you want to hear a mind-opening statistic? Running is 90% mental. Yeah it’s true! So then, why do we take it for granted or ignore it all together when we run? Someone who can help us with this answer and more is sports and exercise psychologist Evie Serventi. She helps us with the doubts we may have about ourselves as well as the mental games we play while in a race or during a hard workout.
Sports Psychology. It is definitely a deep subject matter to tackle into even one episode. Especially with Evie Serventi, who can guide us through the tough mental games we play with ourselves. Come and learn how we can create a better self reflection on ourselves and to be able to make the mental games go away.
As we sat down to interview Josh today, we learned new tips on setting goals, dealing with nerves, and embracing the hard days. Now, about the hard days you may have, whether they are training days, hard life days, or just on the race day itself! What if there were ways we can use the nerves to help us embrace what we are about to do? Josh Lifrak being the Director of the Mental Skills Program for the Chicago Cubs and as a fellow runner has great insight on how we can combat those thoughts and feelings.
It’s one thing to be able to prepare for a race for only the positives and to have a positive attitude but what if things don’t work out the way you wanted them to? Justin Su’a, who has been able to help many NFL teams beef up their mental game, also creates a way for them to be grateful for what they are able to accomplish. I truly loved this episode and I hope you do too.
Have you ever thought, HOW am I even going to try and run a marathon? How can I do this job? How can I possibly be a good friend, mother, father, etc? Simply put, as Ben Newman says it, one step at a time. No one has ever done anything outstanding right away, it has to be worked on and perfected. With Ben’s experience in working with Fortune 500 companies and professional athletic teams, he knows how to tackle those huge hills that may be in front of us.
Now, no matter where you are on your running journey, whether you are running to lose weight, it’s your sport, or it used to be your sport’s punishment, Carla Meijen, may be the episode for you! In discovering these small little tips she shares to help us ENJOY running again. Whether you like to know it or not from newbies to elite runners we have all wondered WHY are we doing this to ourselves? Why am I putting myself in this much pain? So let’s learn about some solid information to make running our friend.
Now, are you a great listener? Not just toward other people but toward your body as well? Do you even think you have to listen to your body in order to have great mindfulness? Well, according to Jonathan Fader “Fader”, you do. How are you able to push yourself to your body’s limits if you don’t even know what they are? A lot of crazy questions that we go through, in this episode of the Running 4 Real Podcast.
Deena Kastor and Jonathan Fader- 156
Join Deena Kastor and Dr. Jonathan Fader for a pre-race sports psychology class. Giving you practical tips on nerves and protecting yourself from the pre-race self doubt. We also tackle ways to get through a tough patch in the race, both Fader and Deena have experience and wisdom in this area. For the final 15 minutes, special guest, Kubra, from Free To Run Afghanistan joins the chat for a mini talk on gratitude and mental fortitude. Thanks to NYRR for the opportunity to have a special conversation.
My favorite psychologist is on the show today, one of the greatest performance psychologists of our time and someone you will absolutely want to learn from, if you do not already. Dr. Michael Gervais is on the show today, and discussed vulnerability, courage, living up to expectations, whether it is possible to balance it all, goals, and so much more. This was one of the most enjoyable podcasts I have ever recorded! I can’t wait to hear what you think about Michael who has worked with athletes from all over.
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If this topic interests you, I would strongly consider checking out my mental training course. If you really want to focus in on a goal, these episodes are great to listen to, but most of us need accountability and things to take action with, that is where Mile 20 Mental training comes in.
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