The mental game of running - A personal experience
"Running is a mental sport." Whenever I heard this quote before I started running, it sounded funny and like total BS. How could a sport that demands so much from your body, time, and dedication be considered mental? How could it possibly be more mental than physical when you're literally pounding the pavement for hours? It never made sense to me… until I started running.
It all began as a bet with my husband, who constantly bragged about his 18-minute 5K PR. I have to admit, just like anything you do for the first time, my early runs were far from easy. But I was determined to prove I could do it. I had always hated running and could barely last a couple of minutes, so getting through those first days was harder than I expected. If it weren’t for my stubborn and competitive side, I would have quit in less than a week.
My running form wasn’t great, my knowledge of the sport was minimal, and I definitely didn’t have a structured plan. My routine basically involved trying to run faster and farther every day until I could manage a 5K without stopping. Thankfully, thanks to my years of exercise (and maybe a bit of luck) I avoided injury and managed to run my first 4-mile race just over a month after I started. At that point, I could have stopped, having achieved my 5K goal, but the running bug had bitten me.
I began researching long-distance running, found a general training plan online, and decided to push myself to run farther. That’s when I realized running truly is a mental sport. The longer I ran, the more I got to know both my body and my mind, and the less it felt like a physical challenge. Don't get me wrong, it didn’t become easier. I got used to the physical discomfort, but my mind began to play tricks on me. Every time I planned a run, I had to overcome the excuses I made up for myself. Every mile, I had to convince myself to keep going because just thinking about the total distance I had to cover made me want to quit. Spending hours alone with my thoughts became harder, even a little scary, because who knew I could sabotage myself that much.
I’ve struggled with the mental aspect of running for a long time, and to be honest, I still have to work on building mental strength to face the mental battles that come with it. But two things I’ve learned are: 1. I need to stay present in the moment, and 2. I never negotiate with myself.
Staying present in the moment means not getting ahead of myself—never thinking about the next mile or how I’ll feel by the end of a long run. I focus on the mile I’m currently in, on how I’m feeling now, and on running the best I can in that moment. When the next mile comes, that’s when I’ll think about it. Staying present helps me avoid negative thoughts or self-doubt, like "I can’t do this" or "If it’s hard now, how will I handle the next few miles?" It keeps me focused on doing my best right now.
Never negotiating with myself is just as simple as it sounds: I don’t allow myself to change, quit, or question a plan I’ve already made. If I’m training for a race or following a running schedule, and I took the time to create that plan, I stick to it. I don’t let my mind talk me into running less or skipping a run just because I don’t feel like it. If I made a plan, it’s because I have a goal to achieve, and achieving it requires consistency. So, the version of me now needs to trust the version of me who set that plan in place and just follow through.
I know it sounds complicated, especially if you’re just starting to face these mental battles, but trust me: you CAN overcome them. It takes time and a lot of practice, and it might feel unnatural at first, but the more you do it, the better you’ll get. Trust yourself. Trust your plan, and keep going. Hard work, consistency, and the right plan are the recipe for achieving what once seemed impossible. Keep FeedingtheRunner in you!!
