How Your Mind Is Holding Your Running Back Ep. 196

In this episode, Lisa explores the powerful connection between mindset and running performance. She discusses how self-limiting beliefs, mental health, and negative self-talk can impact runners of all levels and offers practical strategies to cultivate a positive mindset and enjoy the journey.

Takeaways

• The role of mindset in running performance
• How self-limiting beliefs develop and affect runners
• The impact of mental health on physical activity
• Strategies to change negative self-talk
• The importance of knowing your 'why' in running
• Signs that mindset may be hindering your progress
• The connection between mental health and physical health
• Practical tips for cultivating a positive running mindset

If you like this episode, please be sure to subscribe everywhere you listen to podcasts!

FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM

🍂 FALL RUNNING SEASON is coming! Check out the 🆕Coaching Programs that include running and mindset goals! HERE

Check out the WEBSITE

Help support this podcast by buying me a cup of coffee. I need it to stay awake editing!

BUY ME COFFEE

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome to Ella Go. My name is Lisa, and this is not just a podcast about running. This is a podcast to empower women through fitness and health and everything in between. Because let's be honest, ladies, this journey could suck if we don't get our shit together. Welcome to the ELAGO podcast. My name is Lisa and I am your host. So, what if the hardest part of running isn't your lungs or your legs? What if it's the conversation happening in your own mind? So many runners think they need a better training plan, faster shoes, or more discipline. But what if what they really need is a healthier relationship with themselves? Today we're talking about something that does not get enough attention in the running world. How your mindset, your mental health, and your limiting beliefs may be affecting your runs far more than your fitness. So let's get to it. Okay. So this topic came to mind because recently I was on social media and I saw an article from a very popular running magazine about a woman who is a social worker who actually helps runners get past some self-limiting beliefs and even trauma to help them run faster. And can I just say when I looked at the comments, so many people were like, oh my God, how is this a thing? And I'm just like, how do you not know this is a thing? If we think about psychology and sports, sports psychology has been around for years. In fact, not too long ago, I interviewed a psychologist, and she was more of a performance psychologist for people in the weight lifting, um, body competition arena because that type of industry where you're working on your body can truly mindfuck you. Okay. And she said that. So people hire her to help them get over that hump because it's like you're pushing, you're pushing, you're training, you're training, and it can get mentally exhausting. So many people hire her as a psychologist to help them get through the training so that they can be their best mind and body. But let's even take that further. I mean, there's sports psychologists for elite runners, for competitors, for I mean, I have heard about psychology performance coaches in the arena of baseball players and basketball players. I mean, they exist. Should I say we exist? Because, you know, but anyways, if you know, you know. So it makes sense, especially, you know, coming from a background with psychology where there is that behavioral psychology and what could possibly get in the way of you being successful. And like I always say with Elago, with what I do with my own coaching, how you run is very indicative on how you live your life. If I have a client who is a type A personality, and that's how she runs her life, she's gonna be the same way with running. Okay. So there is definitely a place for psychologists to be involved in running. But let's go into this topic. Your mind is your first running partner, it truly is. I mean, we are running with thoughts in our mind, okay? Um, yes, we get into the zone. Many of us get into the zone the entire time, but many of us, if we have a hard day, we're going through ruminating the things that we wish we said while we're running to release. So when we're running with our thoughts, that can be very encouraging. However, it can also be incredibly critical, especially when you are telling yourself you should have ran faster, or oh, that's a terrible PR, or oh, you're never going to be able to finish that marathon. I mean, how many times have you said that to yourself that you're not going to be able to do well or beat your own time? So it could also be critical. The other thing is that before your body wants to quit, your mind is often starting the negotiating. I mean, let's be honest, okay? You know how you're running and you're like, damn, I'm tired. Okay, what can I do? Maybe I'll run one more street, I'll run one more corner. You know, we're already saying that to ourselves before we stop, or I'm not feeling good. I have a headache. Um, let me do one mile. We're already doing the negotiation in our heads. So if we can even take this further with beginner runners and them talking themselves in a negative way, I always say to a beginner runner that those thoughts is your brain trying to protect you. Like your brain is always gonna protect you, numero uno. It's gonna say, look, you're not used to doing this type of movement. Maybe we should take it slow. Or, hey, why don't we forget about it? Because, you know, your heart is racing, you're you're breathing really fast. Maybe this is not the way to go. It's always going to protect you because it interprets discomfort as pain. And that is one of the hardest things to explain to especially new runners, that there's a difference between discomfort, like, oh, I don't want to fucking do this, versus like, oh my God, I'm really hurting. Like I'm in pain. And I'm not talking like pain inside my head or in my body that I don't want to do this, but physical pain that every step there is a point where I'm I'm hurting, okay? And you have to know the difference. One of the things I always ask uh beginner runners is what does your inner voice sound like during a run? Is it criticizing you or is it encouraging you? Is it coaching you to be better? Is it telling you that you have the power and you can do this, or is it criticizing you along the way? Those thoughts aren't random. Over time, they become something much bigger, they become habits, they become beliefs. So let's talk about beliefs. Self-limiting beliefs. What is self-limiting beliefs? If you believe that you are not good enough, then you're gonna believe that as truth without even finishing the race, without even starting the race, and it's limiting you because you're not even given the opportunity to try because it's stopping you. So limiting beliefs will keep you stuck. Some of the things I always hear, and this is not just with running, I'm too old. I'm too old to go back to school. Who said that there was an age? There's an age limit to things. I'm too slow, and we all know that is bullshit, okay? Because running is every different pace. But for a beginner and comparing yourself to other people and thinking, I'm just too slow, I'm never gonna be able to finish that half marathon or that 5k. Or I'll never be a runner. So without even trying, you are already believing that you'll just never be a runner, and therefore you're not gonna even try. Or everyone is judging me when nobody's really looking at you. Many times with new beginners, one of the things that I have heard is I don't want to run outside. I don't want anyone to see me running. They're gonna judge me, they're gonna criticize me, they're gonna say I'm too slow. They're on the road driving, they're probably not even looking at you, but you believe that as truth. These are all self-limiting beliefs that are going to stop you from reaching your running goals, your movement goals. And it's those same limiting beliefs that you have in life. I'm not good enough, I'm not gonna get that job. He doesn't like me, he's never gonna call me, I'm never gonna have a boyfriend, I'm never gonna get married, I'm never gonna have kids that you hold as truth and they keep you stuck. That's why we have to look at where do those beliefs come from? Your childhood. Something happened in your childhood where you believe that you're not good enough. Past failures, you failed once, that means you're failure. You're already believing your failure with everything. Comparison, uh, comparison is truly the thief of joy. And let me tell you, this is something that I struggle all the time comparing myself to other people who are more successful, me thinking that I'm just not good enough. I'm never gonna get to that point. I'm too old. It's too, it's too late for me. I haven't even tried. And then there's also social media. I always say social media can be an amazing, inspirational, motivational platform, but it could also be the most horrific platform that puts you in a state of feeling like you're a failure because you're seeing all these people, all these women beautiful and or running a certain way and being toned. And this is where I hear a lot of this. I'm not a runner. I'm not a runner like that. Then there's also family. How was your growing up? Did you feel like you were that child that took the brunt for everything? Were you the child who took care of everyone? Like all of those things, if you do not work through them, you're gonna carry them into your adulthood and you're gonna carry them in your runs, just like you carry them in life. At the end of the day, with these self-limiting beliefs, just because you think something, it doesn't make it true. When we carry these beliefs long enough, they start showing up in ways we might not even recognize. And like I said, it's gonna show up on the pavement, it's gonna show up as a client with a coach, it's gonna show up in various areas in your life, and you're not even gonna recognize it. You're not even gonna be able to, like, oh, unless you have a coach or somebody who's able to help you recognize the signs. So let's go into the signs, the signs that your mindset may be affecting your running, your movement. So these are all about behaviors. You keep skipping your runs, you dread workouts. One bad run ruins your entire week. Like, oh, forget it. I can't do it. That one run was awful. So I don't think I'll be able to run this race. You constantly compare yourself. You apologize for your pace. I'm sorry if I'm going too slow. How many times do I hear that? No, you guys go ahead because I've I'm a slow runner. You never celebrate progress. And those are your wins, big or small, there's still progress. Those are still your wins. You're afraid to sign up for races because you're thinking I'm never gonna be able to finish it. You quit mentally before you're physically tired. Oh, that's another thing. Teaching people that there is a difference. Your mind, and that's why there's that mind and body connection. You hear a lot about that. If your mind and body are not connected, not talking to each other, they kind of alienate each other. You know, your mind is gonna start thinking whatever the hell it wants to think, even though your body is capable, your mind is going to convince you that you can't do something without even making that movement. Now, these signs don't necessarily mean there's a mental health disorder, but they can reflect a mindset that's making running harder than it needs to be. Like seriously. Sometimes it's not just mindset, sometimes our mental health genuinely affects how we experience movement. So let's talk a little bit about mental health. When does it show up in our runs? So, for example, anxiety. How does that show up in your run? It could show up with you having these racing thoughts. It can show up as you having this fear of failure without even trying, without even getting to the point where you signed up for the race. You're already having all this anxiety that you're going to fail before you even signed up for the race. Feeling like you can't catch your breath, believe it or not. Overthinking every mile. I mean, how many times does that happen? So those are some levels of some signs of anxiety when it comes to running. Let's say you get home late, you have to make dinner, you have kids, you're a single mom, and then you are not able to get that run in. Yeah, you truly cannot get it in. Then you start having a panic attack and having anxiety that, oh my God, I skipped that one day, I'm not gonna make it. This is not gonna work. And then you pressure yourself to be running when you are extremely tired, exhausted mentally and physically. I see that a lot. That's one way that I see anxiety on the pavement. Like, oh my God, no, I can't miss that. I can't like they it's like it's okay. It's one run, it's not gonna mess up the rest of your plan. That's how anxiety shows up on the pavement. Depression, how does depression show up on the pavement? Depression can show up as low motivation, feeling disconnected, fatigue, and just a loss of enjoyment. If you used to have that joy and you no longer have that joy in doing the run, or maybe even with other things, you might want to look into getting some help with that. Then there's stress. What does stress look like on the pavement? Well, poor sleep, elevated heart rate, feeling exhausted before you even begin. Now, all of these things that I'm talking about, you might say, Oh, I got that, I got that. You have to be very mindful and knowing your body, like truly knowing your body that yes, my body is exhausted. Or, you know what, my body's a little tired, but I know that if I I do that first mile, I'm gonna be good. Like, you gotta really listen to your body. And for brand new runners, that's gonna be trial and error. You're gonna have to like see how it works. Like, oh, I'm really tired. Okay, well, let me run for like 10 minutes and see how it feels. And if you start getting your mojo back, then you know it was just like, you know, you got this. If you're like truly tired, then you know what truly tired feels like that you are not gonna be able to do to do the run. You just really need to know your body. So, although I talk about how movement is a great way to release stress, to release trauma, at the end of the day, movement isn't a cure for mental health conditions. But for many people, it can be a valuable part of coping and healing along with appropriate support. So, especially if you are part of a group, it's so supportive to be part of the group in your healing process. And I I always say that if you can go to therapy, I mean, this is how I began with my running journey. What did I do when I was going through a divorce? I went to see a therapist, and then what did I do afterwards? I went to run. And I felt like it was like a companion. It was like a companion guide to my healing process. Running alone didn't cure the things that I was going through. It helped along with the therapy session, but that's something you should think about if you are going to therapy. A lot of times we feel like we have all these ruminating thoughts after therapy, and we kind of have to process them. And sometimes movement helps with that process. So, what do we actually do when we recognize ourselves in some of these patterns? One of the ways is to change the narrative. Change that narrative that you have been following your entire life. So here are things that you can say to yourself. If you're running and you're having all these negative thoughts and self-limiting beliefs and saying you can't do it, recognize that is happening. Like, damn, why am I saying all these things? I haven't even tried the race yet. Why am I thinking this way? What am I telling myself right now? So instead of saying the I have to run, say I get to move. Instead of saying, I'm so slow, I'm building endurance. Switch the script, celebrate showing up, celebrate the consistency, celebrate the courage that I have the courage to go out there and run and celebrate the effort. Stop measuring every run by pace. Stop measuring every run by pace. Where is the enjoyment that you get to move? Have you ever felt like this? I don't know. I I I have found myself running many, many times. And I'm gonna have to say, 90% of my runs, I get this. Where I feel that, you know, the wind blowing in my face, and just this sense of like joy that I get to move my body. My lungs are filled with oxygen. I'm feeling the breeze. I'm I might hear some birds singing. Like I am on the ultimate high. Forget about being in the zone. Okay. And I don't know if that is being in the zone. I've I often feel like being in the zone is where you're just like, you know, focus and you're not really like paying attention. I don't think this is being in the zone. I think this is like almost ecstasy. Can I say that? It's just this, I can't even explain it, this joy that I get to move and just feeling amazing. And of course, they're those endorphins, but you get to move. Have some self-compassion. Stop comparing yourself, stop comparing every run by pace, how fast you ran, how many miles. You know, once in a while, just say, damn, I get to run, I get to move. And always know that one bad run does not equate a bad runner. I mean, do you ever say that with walking? Not everyone says I'm a terrible walker. How do we combat these self limiting beliefs and this negativity and our increasing a positive mindset is to remember why you started. What do I always say? What have I said from the beginning? The get always know your why. Why did you begin running? Was it to lose weight? Was it to feel healthier? Was it to manage stress? Was it to build confidence? Was it to prove to yourself something? Remember your why at the end of the day, when those negative thoughts start coming, when you start ruminating that you're not good enough, remember your why. Don't let the pressure of performance steal the joy that made you to start, because that is an awful place to be. Running has an incredible way of revealing what's going on inside of us. I always say how you run is how you run in life. It exposes our fears, our doubts, our resilience, and our strength. And some days the biggest hill you'll climb isn't on the course, it's the one in your mind. If today's episode resonated with you, I want you to remember this. You don't have to believe every thought that crosses your mind. You can challenge these thoughts, you can replace them. And with every step, you have the opportunity to build not only a stronger body, but a kinder relationship with yourself. Because we don't believe running isn't just about getting faster, it's about reclaiming your confidence, your health, and your life. One step at a time. So I hope this episode resonated with you. I'd love for you to share it with someone who might need the reminder that they're stronger than the stories they're telling themselves. They're way stronger than that. And remind them that they are choosing something that not everyone is doing. And that it's going to look different for everyone. And there's not one way better than the other. Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. So I don't know if you guys know this. Why do podcasters say subscribe to the podcast? Because whenever a new episode comes up, it just comes up automatically. You don't need to find the podcast episode. So you subscribe to it, uh, it's just gonna come up automatically. And I also ask you to please review my podcast. I really appreciate any types of reviews, good or bad, hopefully just good. Um, but please review the podcast episode. It does help me a lot in the podcasting platforms if you review the episode. Okay, so until next time. Bye.