The Psychology of Performance: Alex Ostberg on the Hidden Switch in Your Brain, Self-Belief & Race-Day Narratives

THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Dominic Schlueter

Running, Sports

4.8 • 686 Ratings

🗓️ 6 June 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We love the idea of a breakthrough—the dramatic finish, the record-shattering time, the race where it finally clicks.

But what if that moment you’re chasing isn’t about magic… but mindset?

Returning to the show today is Alex Ostberg, former NCAA standout and the thoughtful voice behind The Rundown. In this episode, we dive into the psychology of high performance and unpack four of Alex’s most powerful recent essays.

We begin by debunking the myth of overnight success, revealing how real progress is built quietly—through patient, consistent effort. From there, Alex explores how belief isn’t just motivational—it’s foundational. Because if you don’tbelieve you’re capable, your body won’t act like it is.

We then tackle what it means to find “the edge” as a runner—and why growth begins the moment you step beyond your comfort zone. Finally, we discuss the internal narratives that unfold on race day, and how the stories we tell ourselves can shape—or sabotage—our performance.

This episode is more than a conversation about running. It’s about mindset, identity, and learning how to rewrite your limits from the inside out.

In today's conversation, Alex tackles key subjects like breakthroughs, the central governor theory, breaks down scientific studies that you can apply directly to your running/life, how to deal with pre-race nerves, pressure, anxiety, and more.This episode is VALUE packed and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Tap into Alex Ostberg Special.

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Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	When pain exceeds the magnitude of purpose in your mind, you give into the pain.
0:06.0	But when the purpose overshadows the pain, you find a reason to keep going.
0:11.3	And so much of running, especially in those decisive moments in a race, is this whisper that slowly becomes a scream, which is like, stop now. This is getting harder and
0:22.1	harder. And you just, you need to keep fighting back that instinct. That's Alex Osberg today.
0:30.9	Back on the Running Effect podcast, breaking down the first four editions of the rundown by
0:35.0	the Running Effect. It's our newsletter. To start out, please
0:37.6	subscribe to it. If you have not done so already, I am so unbelievably confident that it is going
0:42.9	to provide you unparalleled amounts of value. And I think I can back up that statement.
0:48.3	If you just give it two weeks of letting the emails come in your inbox and being blessed by the grace and wisdom of Alex
0:55.9	Osberg, who I sit down with today on the podcast. And he breaks down the first four
0:59.9	editions of the newsletter. I kind of ask him questions from each specific edition. We break
1:05.2	down principles, lessons, concepts that he writes on in each of these four editions. I
1:10.4	thoroughly enjoyed it. In today's
1:12.0	conversation, you're going to learn about breakthroughs, pre-race nerves, pressure, the sub four-minute
1:17.5	mile, the central governor theory, how to push your mind beyond its limits, so many other deep
1:23.3	physiological, psychological, all the words like that, conversations. And I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
1:29.9	I always love my conversations with Alex. And this is going to be a monthly thing. We're going to
1:33.3	break down the four editions every single month at the end or beginning of the month. However,
1:38.3	it shapes up. If you enjoy this one, share it with a friend. Share the newsletter with a friend.
1:41.7	That would greatly help us out. Give us a five-star review. And make sure you are following or subscribe to the podcast and you never miss another episode.
1:49.2	With all those notes aside, I hope you will all enjoy this conversation with, I would say the man the myth of legend, he is all of those things.
1:56.1	But more specifically recently, the author of my favorite newsletter at the moment, The Rundown by the Running
	...

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