Running Strategies for the Mnid

Mental Tricks for a Better Run

Tired and cranky? Use these 10 simple strategies to beat brain fatigue and run strong
By Mackenzie Lobby runnersworld
 

Restate Your Goals

Deciding between the remote control and your running shoes? It isn't easy to get out the door without a clear reason to run. "If you can't answer, Why am I doing this?, you won't last long," says Rick Lovett, a running coach and coauthor of Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing. He suggests keeping a training log that includes your goals and the reasons you run, whether that's to reduce stress, or for friendship or better health.

Energy Solution: When you feel the urge to call it quits at the end of a tough day, pull out your log and review your lists. Staring at your plans in black-and-white will make it tougher to lounge. Rice, for example, keeps the dates of several shorter races leading up to her goal marathon prominently marked in her log. "It energizes me to see that I have those little races ahead of me," she says.

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