MFR 139: The Mental Side of Running
Mojo For Running Podcast
debbie voiles
4.9 • 555 Ratings
🗓️ 9 October 2019
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Even before you were a runner, you had probably heard the oft repeated line, "Running is 90% mental."
I don't think I've ever heard any long-time runner argue against this, because you realize pretty quickly that this is true. iF your mind wills it, if your heart is in it, if you have the necessary grit, the you will become a runner, and you will achieve the goals you set. It may take time, and it will certain require more mental tenacity than physical. This is what non-runners do not understand.
In this podcast, I pick apart the reasons why it is so mentally difficult, sometimes more than others, of course. You may not always realize the true cause of your mental struggle. I hope that understanding the root cause will help you deal with the mental side of running, and that will lead to greater success in every area of your running journey.
In this episode, I mention The Human Race, and Velma Radloff, in particular. I hope, if you haven't seen the documentary yet, you will. Here are a couple of photos of Velma. Velma is 81 and still running, of course.
Two of my favorite runner girls. Both are in "The Human Race."
The post MFR 139: The Mental Side of Running appeared first on Mojo for Running.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, this is Debbie Boyles, coach at Mojo for Running with episode number 139, the mental side of running. |
| 0:20.4 | Now let's talk about the mental side of running. |
| 0:23.5 | You run because you want to run. |
| 0:26.1 | You decided to run. |
| 0:27.9 | All the mental angst comes from the fact that you don't have to do it. |
| 0:32.5 | You do it by choice, even though it's sometimes difficult, sometimes super difficult. |
| 0:39.4 | Understanding the root cause of the mental struggle is the topic of this episode. |
| 0:44.2 | But first, let me make one important point. |
| 0:47.1 | While running is a choice, and that causes much of the mental struggle, |
| 0:51.4 | it's also the reason the satisfaction is so great, |
| 0:54.0 | and the reason it results in such tremendous mental struggle. It's also the reason the satisfaction is so great and the reason it results |
| 0:55.8 | in such tremendous mental strength. Deciding to be a runner is a good thing, but it's also challenging, |
| 1:02.5 | and it starts with day one. If you're listening to this podcast, then you've already, you're already |
| 1:08.1 | way beyond that. But let me point out that that was one of your early successes, |
| 1:13.4 | because deciding to run doesn't mean succeeding at becoming a runner, right? |
| 1:18.4 | Just risking, just embarking on the journey is a risk |
| 1:22.0 | because deciding to be a runner means risking failure, |
| 1:25.9 | and that's enough to scare most people away. |
| 1:29.2 | So that was your first mental hurdle. |
| 1:31.9 | Even if you never recognized it as such, it may have been 20 or 30 years ago or more. |
| 1:38.3 | Or you might be someone who just made that decision recently. |
| 1:42.1 | It's always easier to just never try, but if you don't try, |
... |
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