Personal Best

WORDS: TINA CHANTREY

Learn to challenge your negative beliefs with positive affirmations

Believing that you can run a new distance, or time, is as crucial as any amount of training. Many runners defy logic by finishing marathons – or further – despite being ill or injured in training. But what makes them different from those runners who write themselves off before they’ve even got to the start line? It all comes down to their degree of mental strength.

“Mental toughness is probably best described as your ability to continue to perform near the best of your ability, despite the circumstances”, states personal trainer Scott Laidler.

“A lack of mental toughness can cause a marked decrease in performance or, in more extreme cases, lead to an athlete pulling out of an event. It’s what gets runners to push through when exhausted, dehydrated or, in some cases, even injured.”

Many of us experience doubt about our capabilities, including those with a proven track record. It’s part of being human. For some, these doubts run a little deeper and may reflect developmental issues or disappointments in life. Either way, doubting yourself is an appropriate response when facing a challenge. “What you do with this doubt is another thing”, explains William Pullen, a psychotherapist and author of Run For Your Life: Mindful Running For A Happy Life (£7.64, Penguin Life).