123. How to Build Mental Toughness & Mindset Mastery
Release Date: 01/30/2020
Ego is the Enemy: Pro Ultrarunner Ian Sharman on Training Your Mindset
The Strength Running Podcast
Runners often struggle with mindset blocks, so let's tackle them together. Ian Sharman is the founder of Sharman Ultra Coaching, a team of elite running coaches. He ran his personal best marathon of 2:21 at age 43, and a half marathon PR of 1:03 at age 44. Ian's won over 50 marathon+ races with at least one win every year for 19 (and counting) consecutive years. Ian also holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit at 12h44m, boasts the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m), has won the USATF 100-mile trail championship twice, and is a four-time...
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Coaching Q&A: Long-Term Marathon Training, Increasing Mileage, & Weightlifting Frequency
The Strength Running Podcast
Combining coaching with community can make a massive difference in training happily and healthily. Enter: the coaching program. This podcast episode is a recording of a 2024 Team Strength Running Coach’s Chat where I dig into these questions: What can I do over the course of a year before my fall goal marathon? How can I gradually increase mileage after recovering from sciatica and a meniscus tear? Should I strength train 2 or 3 times a week? What should I be doing now to start marathon training in a few weeks? If I'm super busy, should I focus on shorter races instead...
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Strength & Age: How to Adapt Your Running As You Get Older, with Dr. Karl Knopf
The Strength Running Podcast
What age is too old to start strength training? (Spoiler alert: You're never too old.) Dr. Karl Knopf is an author and college professor who has been involved in the health and fitness of older adults and people with disabilities for more than 40 years. Over the decades, he's worked in almost every aspect of the industry, from personal training and therapy to consultation. We talk about: Misconceptions about strength and age for runners Functional fitness, cross-training and active rest for longevity The impact of poor posture on runners Strength training for different...
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Mental Toughness Masterclass: Dr. Lara Pence on How to Master Your Mindset
The Strength Running Podcast
This could be the most important skill set for any runner to develop. Dr. Lara Pence is a licensed clinical psychologist and MBA specializing in elite and professional athlete development to optimize wellness and performance both in sport and in life. She works with a wide range of athletes, from NFL players to trail running champions and from PGA tour members to Olympic medalists. Lara is the founder of The Coaches Collective, a program that teaches ambitious sport coaches how to coach from a whole-person, psychologically grounded perspective. We talk about: The...
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Nutrition Reality Check: Pseudoscience & Myths with Kylee Van Horn & Zoë Rom
The Strength Running Podcast
There’s a lot of nutrition misinformation out there for runners, and many of us would be better off being less strict about our fuel. Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom are co-hosts of the podcast Your Diet Sucks. Kylee is the founder and owner of the sports nutrition business Flynutrition, which helps runners, triathletes, cyclists, and skiers to learn not only the “why” but the “how” behind fueling for performance. Zoë is an ultrarunner with top finishes at the Rio Del Lago, Run Rabbit, and Leadville 100’s. As a journalist and writer, she specializes in...
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The New Rules of Protein for Endurance Runners: Q&A with Claire Shorenstein, RD
The Strength Running Podcast
How much protein do you actually need, and how should you get it? Claire Shorenstein (MS, RD, CSSD) is a board-certified sports dietitian with over a decade of experience working with teenage and adult athletes from the recreational to elite level. Claire is a longtime distance runner herself and hosts The Eat for Endurance Podcast. We talk about: How protein needs have been rising for athletes and what that may mean for you The factors that influence individual nutrition and why RDA isn't everything Protein's impact while injured or recovering Why you need to...
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Q&A with Jason: Supercompensation, Scheduling Strength, Time vs. Miles, and more
The Strength Running Podcast
Wish you could ask a coach about injury risk, building back fitness after illness, common training errors, and more? I collected popular running questions from our and am answering these questions: What exactly is supercompensation? How can you build back your fitness after getting sick? What are some pitfalls and traps around beginner runner progressions? Should I count myself as a novice or more advanced runner? Is there any benefit for longer duration of the same mileage between two runners? When in a weekly schedule is a good day to do specific strength training? What are examples of...
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The Meaning of Endurance: Anthropologist Michael Crawley on Why We Run
The Strength Running Podcast
What drives us as humans to push our physical and mental limits in endurance events? Michael Crawley is a 2:20 marathoner, professor of anthropology at Durham University, and author of the new book We talk about: The collective nature of running culture Why we voluntarily sign up for exhausting endurance activities An evolutionary perspective on running Technology's role in modern running Incorporating endurance into daily life How Michael's personal endurance approach has changed through his book research Send this episode to your running friend who's also a history or culture nerd,...
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Double Threshold, High Volume, & Lactate: Exploring the Norwegian Method with Brad Culp
The Strength Running Podcast
It's a common misconception that the Norwegian Method is just running double threshold workouts. Brad Culp is a sports journalist, endurance athlete, and author of the fascinating new book, We dug into Brad's knowledge of the training principles behind the Norwegian Method: lactate threshold, lactate testing, a focus on low intensity and high volume, heat training, altitude, and more. We talk about: The nuance behind the Norwegian Method and what it actually entails The role of lactate and lactate testing in the Norwegian Method High volume training and Zone 1 running The difference between...
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Becs Gentry: How this Peloton Instructor and 2:32 Marathoner is Running the Great World Race
The Strength Running Podcast
If you had the chance, would you sign up to run 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 different continents? Becs Gentry is a popular One Peloton instructor, the 4th place finisher at the 2021 UK Olympic Trials, a former Nike Run Club Coach, and a 2:32:01 marathoner. She’s getting ready to start the Great World Race on November 15, 2024. We talk about: Whether Becs expects more challenges physically or logistically How Becs intends to approach each of the 7 days The recovery strategies Becs will implement throughout the week Expected challenges of the Antarctica marathon Becs’ goals for the weeklong...
info_outlineIn high school, my indoor track coach always told our team to “get out of your comfort zones!” This valuable mental toughness training always reminded us that racing is certainly not comfortable…
And over the years, my ability to hone mental toughness into a skill to be used at will became easier and easier.
In the beginning, it wasn’t that way:
- I sandbagged workouts just because I didn’t feel good
- I “settled” on placing 2nd or 3rd in races because I was afraid to believe in myself
- I’ve even dropped out of races for no good reason other than my head wasn’t in the right place
Even now, I have experiences that shake my sense of self-belief.
In 2015, I DNF’d an ultramarathon (my first and only attempt).
In 2019, I was disqualified for cutting the course (by accident) of a trail race.
These experiences shook my self-confidence and made me question whether or not I even possessed any mental toughness.
But I soon realized that I wasn’t approaching mental toughness in the right way. It’s not an issue of whether you “have it” or “don’t have it” – it’s an issue of, “are you working on it?”
That’s because mental toughness training is an ongoing practice that must be cultivated over time.
You’re never “done” with developing this valuable mental skill – just like you’re never “done” with workouts, long runs, or recovery runs as a runner.
This episode also includes an announcement about Mindset Mastery, our new coaching program. It's now open for up to 20 runners but registration closes on Monday, February 3rd!