Mental toughness 101: Struggle miles

Strategies for embracing difficult situations

Welcome to Mental Toughness 101, a multi-part series where we focus on training the mental. This week: Tools and tactics for overcoming adversity. 

You’re a couple of miles into a run and nothing feels good. Your body feels tired. Your energy is low. Your mind is distracted. You don’t really want to be running, but you’re not going to quit. So, here you are, slogging along, feeling miserable and uninspired.  

The one thing that bonds runners across the spectrum is the existence of struggle miles. No matter how well-trained or fast we become, there’s going to be low points along the way. 

What separates mentally tough runners from the pack is their ability to manage their emotions and redirect their thoughts. That allows them to turn negative situations into positive outcomes. Mentally tough runners even look forward to the occasional sufferfest because they view those moments as an opportunity to train their brain, as well as their bodies. 

Whether it’s managing bad weather, digging out of the pain cave, or just making it through a rough patch, learning to embrace adversity is just as important to your running development as nailing tempos and intervals. 

For a select few, the ability to cope with difficult situations may come naturally. For most of us, becoming a mentally tough runner requires practice and attention. With the right focus and a few carefully developed tools, all of us can get where we need to go with a smile on our face, instead of a grimace.

Allow me a few caveats: If you’re struggling physically, it may be a sign that you’re injured, sick, or undertrained. Use your body’s feedback as an opportunity to check yourself before you wreck yourself. Are you going too fast, doing too much too soon, not eating or drinking enough? 

There are a number of possible reasons for your troubles that have nothing to do with how mentally tough you are, and everything to do with your approach. Don’t be so proud that you let your ego stand in the way of making progress. 

If you’re struggling mentally, a rest day may be what you need. Even if it forces you to skip a training run. Take a break from running, allow yourself to recharge, so you can get back after it with a clear head and sound body. 

In our culture, taking rest days can be a sign of weakness. That’s bullshit. Ask any ultra runner. Taking recovery days help prevent burnout, injury, and illness, which is pretty freaking smart. So, let’s not be dumb. 

Flatirons outside Boulder circa 2017.

OK, you’re having a bad day. You’re pretty sure you can carry on without putting yourself at risk, but you know it’s going to be tough. Here are a few ways to stay mentally strong and prevent a negative feedback loop from becoming a downward spiral. 

Reframe and refocus 

When your run isn’t going as planned, make new plans. Maybe you don’t have the stuff to run X Miles at Y Pace on this particular day. You can still get your run in, and enjoy some of the process by reframing the experience. 

Start by letting go of your preconceived notions of how the run was supposed to go. That’s over. Try to refocus your goals. Forget pace and even distance. Pick an entirely new framework. 

When I’m struggling, I like to imagine I’m in a race and everything is going to hell. I don’t have to imagine very hard. That happens every race. Am I going to quit? No, I’m going to keep going. Those race-day reserves won’t build themselves. 

Remind yourself that the only way to practice overcoming adversity, is by actually overcoming adversity. Now your run has significance beyond whatever pace you’re trying to run or how you think it’s supposed to feel. When you finish – and you will finish – you’ve accomplished something meaningful. 

What started as a slog has turned into a triumph. Congratulations, you are one tough cookie. 

Break your run into bite-sized chunks

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the distance you have to run, shorten the distance in your mind. Whether it’s miles, or landmarks, or songs on your iPod (do they still make those?) pick a few arbitrary units of measure and focus on reaching those milestones. 

One trick I employ is shifting my water bottle from one hand to the other every three miles. Rather than one long 12-miler, that’s four short 3-mile runs. Each time I switch hands, I’ve accomplished something and made tangible progress toward my goal. 

All of this fits into our conversation about associative and dissociative mindsets. Counting games or easy mental puzzles are a great way to distract yourself and give your mind something else to focus on besides how much this sucks. 

Just don’t make your focus too complicated. Your brain is dealing with a lot of stuff, so keep it simple. 

The power of mantras 

When negative thoughts seem overpowering, a well-timed mantra can help guide you back to a place of stability. Don’t get hung up on what mantras are supposed to be, like they’re some sort of Zen Buddhist Jedi mind trick. The point of mantras is to give your brain a focal point so it’ll just shut up, already. 

Mantras can come from anywhere, be it song lyrics, snippets of dialogue from a movie, or just some silly phrase that gets stuck in your head. They can be inspirational or goofy; energizing or calming. Experiment with a few and find out what works for you in different situations. 

Oftentimes, the best mantras are the ones that appear for no reason at all. Go with those and don’t ask questions. See where they take you, but don’t be afraid to shake them off if they stop working. 

Own your self talk 

There’s a notion that positive self-talk is the key to overcoming difficult situations. That’s true, to a point. All that focus on relentless positivity could leave you susceptible to negative self-talk creeping into the conversation without a strong internal defense system. 

When negative thoughts enter your headspace, recognize them for what they are and redirect the conversation. Instead of telling yourself that you don’t have what it takes, acknowledge that your run is hard, and tell yourself a different story. 

“Man, this run sure is tough, but I’m out here anyway. Cause I’m a beast.” 

You just changed your mental narrative from a negative feedback loop into a life affirming battle cry. That’s a major sign of mental toughness. 

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

When things are at their absolute lowest point and nothing seems to be working, try to laugh. Turn that frown upside down, or force yourself to grin if you have to. Humor may be the best medicine for turning a day around because it’s awfully hard to get sucked into a negative vortex when you’ve got a smile on your face. 

There are real benefits to laughing in the face of adversity. Smiling instead of grimacing appears to improve running economy and lower perceived rate of effort. The great marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge, even uses smiling as a strategic tactic. 

Think about all the mental energy you waste worrying about how your run went wrong. Then think about the energy it takes to smile. It might change your day.