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The Strength Running Podcast

Ego is the Enemy: Pro Ultrarunner Ian Sharman on Training Your Mindset

The Strength Running Podcast

Jason Fitzgerald

Health & Fitness, 10k, Beginnerrunning, Marathontraining, Fitness, Injuryprevention, Marathon, Halfmarathon, Running, Sports

4.81.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 January 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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 Leadville Trail 100 Champion.

 

We talk about:

  • Ian’s training approach for his recent half marathon personal best
  • Running by feel and adapting to race conditions
  • Balancing ego and process in training
  • Comparison’s impact on training and performance
  • Racing mindset strategies
  • Handling pre-race excitement and execution

Send this episode to a friend who has a 2025 race so they can improve their mindset for it!

 

Links & Resources from the Show:

 

Thank you to 2XU!

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Knowing that their gear is engineered for runners by runners and backed by research makes me absolutely love 2XU. Go to 2xu.com and use code "JASON" in all caps to get 20% off sitewide, except clearance items or wetsuits.

 

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Ready, set, go!

0:04.4

This is episode 386, with two-time USA Track and Field 100-mile trail champion, four-time Leadville Trail 100 champion, ultra-marathon coach, and someone who's won over 50 marathons, Ian Sharman.

0:29.1

Music someone who's won over 50 marathons, Ian Sharman. Welcome to the Strength Running podcast.

0:31.6

We surround you with the same experts as pro-runners, so keep listening to hear coaches,

0:36.3

physical therapists, strength experts,

0:38.8

dietitians, sports psychologists, and other thought leaders give you the best guidance

0:43.9

possible to take your running to the next level. I'm your host, coach Jason Fitzgerald.

0:49.0

I ran cross-country, indoor and outdoor track for Connecticut College. I one time ran a 239 marathon PR and now

0:56.4

I'm the head coach of Strength Running and a monthly columnist for Outside Magazine. You can learn

1:01.6

more about me and strength running at strengthrunning.com. And a final reminder about our live

1:07.6

mental toughness workshop. If you want more details, sign up at strengthrunning.com

1:13.4

slash brain to learn more. Now let's support our partners who help make this podcast possible.

1:20.0

They're offering you some great discounts on products that are going to help your health and your

1:24.2

performances. A huge thanks to Previnex and their new gut and greens superfood greens powder.

1:30.6

I've moved on from AG1.

1:32.6

Sorry, athletic greens.

1:34.1

It's just not doing it for me anymore.

1:35.9

To be up front, I still like AG1, and I think it's a great vitamin and probiotic supplement,

1:41.8

but it tries to do too much.

1:44.1

I've learned that it includes too many greens in such tiny amounts, and probiotic supplement, but it tries to do too much.

1:49.5

I've learned that it includes too many greens in such tiny amounts that they're just not very helpful.

1:50.6

And while the vitamins and probiotics are great, that wasn't actually the reason for me taking

...

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