Running: It’s All in Your Head!

By Ashlee Lawson

I always have something going on.

Between my work with a creative agency, building a business (oh hey, RUNGRL), my freelance gigs, leading a run crew, keeping my house clean, and recently planning my wedding, it can feel like I never have a free moment! Add to that the everyday responsibilities of trying to be a good friend, daughter, and sister, and it seems like my mind and body never get a break.

Running used to be my way out, my escape. It was the “me time” I so desperately needed to reset, reflect and get away from the demands of life. Lately, however, I’ve fallen into a place where running feels more like a chore. It’s hard to get myself motivated and out the door, and even harder to push myself through runs. Even the ones that should be “easy”.

I began to take stock of how I was feeling as runs approached and asked myself:

How has my week been?

Have I had a stressful day?

Did I have any time for myself this week?

Have I eaten?

The more I did this ahead of my runs, the more I came to realize that there is a legitimate connection between life fatigue (see also mental health) and how I show up to my runs.

“The brain plays a significant role in regulating endurance performance.”

— Journal of Applied Physiology, 2009.

Studies have shown that there is, in fact, a connection between how we’re feeling mentally, and how our bodies perform. The Journal of Applied Physiology noted in a 2009 study that “mental fatigue limits exercise tolerance in humans through a higher perception of effort” and that “the brain plays a significant role in regulating endurance performance”. This means that even if there are not any signs of physical fatigue, a person being mentally fatigued can still affect their performance.

Tim Noakes, M.D., author of “Lore of Running”, argues that it is the brain that allows or limits endurance performance rather than the body. While it’s a natural part of the process, in Runner’s World, Noakes also shares a solution: “Training increases your self-belief and your confidence in what you can do.”

In addition to becoming more mindful about how I’m feeling before a run, I’ve created my own methods of improving my training overall. Here’s how I’m working to combat mental fatigue so I can perform my best.

Early mornings are my best friends.

There are so many benefits to getting runs or workouts done in the morning. Not only have does it help with my overall mood and productivity throughout the day, but I also don’t have all day to talk myself out of it. I can just get it over with.

I set realistic goals.

I’ve been chasing a sub-2-hour half marathon time for the last couple of years. Whenever it’s time to start training for another half, I convince myself that it will be different this go ‘round. “This time, I’ll do what I need to get this done,” I say to myself. What I haven’t considered before, is how to take into account the load life brings. Next time I go after such a lofty goal, I’ll be sure to consider the demands of the program in addition to what’s currently happing with me, so life doesn't get in the way.

I’m learning to deal with the discomfort.

Running doesn’t always feel good and, honestly, it shouldn’t. Those few minutes of discomfort (not pain!) help us become better, faster, stronger. I’m learning to get comfortable being uncomfortable. These are some mantras I repeat to myself when it gets tough:

If it were easy, everyone would do it.

Push through; you’ll be better for it.

Think of how you’ll feel when it’s over.

Smile, Ashlee.

I make running a priority.

We’re all human and can only do so much. Instead of adding to your already-full plate of responsibilities with reckless abandon, what can you realistically remove (or even move around) to have more time to focus on your running goals?

For me, that looks like meal-prepping in advance, scheduling out tasks, saying “no” more often and keeping a “me first” mentality. Sometimes it’s okay to be selfish.

In the words of our friends at Team Brkthru, “Running is Mental”. The more we understand the stressors and triggers that keep us from performing at our best, the more we’ll be able to work through tough runs and push through mental fatigue towards a better run and, hopefully, a better headspace.