The Blog
Tips, ideas, and true stories to build your ultra confidence.
Three Ways to Stop Comparing
One of my clients was bemoaning the hours she’d wasted that week comparing herself to other runners.
She ended up feeling crappy about her ability, training, and chances at her big race. Everything.
She knew better and still did it.
“Why??” she asked.
Go For The Impossibly Possible
Want to see what’s possible for you?
Do this one easy, super simple thing.
Stop thinking you have to be realistic.
When They Pass You Like You’re Standing Still
At Zumbro 100 a couple of weeks ago, I had an experience that can easily send runners into negative thinking.
I got passed.
And I want to share how I cleaned up my thinking as I ran.
How to Get Rid of Imposter Syndrome
When you’re scared to join group runs because you’re slow and they’ll find out you're a phony.
When you’ve trained solidly for months but feel like a fraud at the starting line.
When you're uncomfortable talking about your race because you don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression you did something impressive.
Less Fear, More Possibility
One of my clients is facing a tough, important race she’s DNF’d before and isn’t sure she can do.
We’ve been improving her mindset about it and she was starting to truly believe she could do it when the email arrived.
The RD was changing the course to include significantly more climb.
Believing When It’s Hard
People think I’ve done so many 100 mile races that it’s easy for me, hard for them.
But it doesn’t matter if you’ve done 1 or 133 like me. The same emotions and negative thinking come up.
The difference is, I manage it - I don’t let it manage me.
Big Inspiration in a Small Package
A favorite re-post from this weekend three years ago.
Time to thaw out and remember who you are…
How to Master Ultramarathons
I’m fortunate to be part of a rare group of ultrarunners who have close to or over 100 100-mile finishes and a host of other ultras besides.
I’ve spent enough time and enough miles with these friends to know we all have one key thing in common…
We’re not looking at what everyone else is doing to make our decisions.
Why Your Watch Data Doesn’t Matter
The numbers on your watch are only numbers.
They’re meaningless until your mind interprets them.
If I told you “35,” it’s a neutral number. By itself, it doesn’t mean anything.
How to Make Hard Race Decisions Easy
I often see runners having a hard time making a race decision.
Fighting an internal battle about whether to run Race A or B.
Whether they’re ready for a 100 mile race.
17 Simple Lessons for Long-Term 100 Mile Success
Re-sending this one by request.
100-mile season is coming - 17 tips and some perspective to get your mind right!
_____________
Getting confident at 100-mile races doesn’t magically happen the moment you finish your first.
Real Belief v. Pretend Belief
No one at the starting line of a 100 mile race knows for sure they can finish.
There are so many variables outside our control, like weather.
But runners with the best chance of finishing have at least one thing in common.
How to Stop Negative Thinking
Negative thinking is an unmanaged brain thinking thoughts about you.
Left to its own devices, it does its best to protect you against your clearly insane goals in which so many things can go wrong.
We think we can stop the negativity if we ignore it or become faster runners (because they must feel good about themselves).
Stop Failing Ahead of Time
Runners worry they won’t be able to get out of the late aid stations in a 100-mile race.
Why?
Because of the “be able to” part.
Get More Confident at Ultras
When I tell runners they can be confident at the starting line, they see my number of finishes and think,
“Easy for you to say. If I’d run that many 100s, I’d be confident too.”
It’s a fundamental misunderstanding of how to become confident.
DNF Shame is a Choice
Runners typically give two reasons they DNF’d a race - they followed the wrong training plan or they didn't follow their plan good enough.
Either way, they blame themselves - they should have known better or done better.
It creates a lot of shame.
Feel Like You Don’t Belong?
“I feel like I don’t belong.”
Client after client says the same thing.
They look at social media, read articles about who’s doing it right, and stand at the starting line comparing themselves to everyone else.
Get Out of Training Plan Overwhelm
I recently got a new pair of prescription glasses.
I was way overdue for a pair and had my annual eye exam one week before my yearly insurance benefit expired.
The doctor’s office has a selection of frames, so I looked through them while I was waiting.
Stop the Past from Holding You Back
The 100-mile race you’re thinking about is exciting.
It looks challenging and beautiful.
You want to register but you flash back over the recent races you’ve run.
How to Respond to Things People Say
“You’ve run enough races, you should quit now.”
“I worry what another DNF will do to your confidence.”
“You DNF’d the last three 100-mile attempts - why don’t you stick to shorter races?”
Grab your copy of New Thoughts to Believe
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