Tag: mental training

Endurance training isn’t just about logging miles, hitting interval splits, or nailing nutrition. If it were that simple, we’d all be standing on podiums. But the real secret to top performance? It’s the six inches between your ears. Mental strategies for athletic performance separate good athletes from great ones. And the best part? You don’t need genetic gifts to master them—just a commitment to training your brain as hard as you train your body.

The Power of a Growth Mindset

When you’re deep in the pain cave, what’s your inner monologue? Are you telling yourself, “I’m just not strong enough,” or “I can’t handle this”? If so, it’s time for a mental upgrade. A growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can develop with effort—can transform your performance. Athletes who adopt a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to improve rather than threats to their ego.

Instead of thinking, “I’ll never be able to hold this pace,” try reframing it: “Holding this pace is tough now, but the more I practice, the easier it’ll get.” Research shows that athletes with a growth mindset persist longer, adapt faster, and handle setbacks better. So next time your coach throws a brutal workout at you, remember: struggle means you’re getting stronger.

Psychological Skills Training: Your Secret Weapon

If you lift weights to build strength and do intervals to increase speed, why wouldn’t you train your mind to optimize focus, resilience, and emotional control? Psychological skills training (PST) is the structured practice of mental techniques to enhance performance. Think of it as strength training for your brain.

Here are three PST techniques to start using today:

1. Visualization: See It to Believe It

Elite athletes don’t just train their bodies—they train their brains to anticipate success. Before your next race or key workout, take a few minutes to close your eyes and mentally rehearse. See yourself executing the plan perfectly, feeling strong, and crossing the finish line with power.

Science backs this up: studies have shown that mental imagery activates the same neural pathways as physical practice. If you’re mentally prepared for success, your body is more likely to follow suit.

2. Self-Talk: Your Inner Coach

Would you tell your best training partner, “You’re slow, you’re weak, and you should just quit”? No? Then why say it to yourself? Self-talk is one of the most powerful mental strategies for athletic performance, and the good news is you’re already doing it—whether you realize it or not.

Start replacing negative thoughts with constructive, empowering ones. Instead of “I can’t do this,” try “I’ve trained for this.” Instead of “I’m dying,” say “I’m working hard, and that’s a good thing.” A well-trained inner dialogue can keep you focused and resilient when the going gets tough.

3. Emotional Awareness: Control the Chaos

Emotions are like wild horses—if you don’t learn to rein them in, they’ll run the show. Emotional awareness in endurance training means recognizing how your emotions impact performance and developing strategies to manage them.

Feeling nervous before a race? That’s not a bad thing—nerves mean you care. Instead of trying to suppress them, acknowledge the feeling and reframe it: “This energy will help me perform.” Frustrated mid-race? Use it to fuel a surge instead of spiraling into self-doubt.

Building Mental Resilience: How to Handle Setbacks

Every endurance athlete, from weekend warriors to world champions, faces setbacks. Injuries, bad races, missed workouts—it’s part of the game. But what separates those who come back stronger from those who crumble is mental resilience.

To develop resilience:

• Embrace adversity. Hard days make strong athletes. Instead of fearing failure, see it as part of the process.
• Control the controllables. Weather, competition, race-day mishaps—many factors are out of your hands. Focus on what you can control: your effort, preparation, and mindset.
• Have a short memory. Dwelling on a bad race won’t make it better. Learn what you can, then move on.

The Mind-Body Connection: Training Smarter, Not Just Harder

Mental toughness isn’t about grinding yourself into the ground—it’s about knowing when to push and when to back off. Endurance training is a balance of stress and recovery, and your brain plays a crucial role in managing that equation.

Listen to your body and trust your training. Feeling fatigued beyond normal? It’s not weakness—it’s information. A smart athlete knows that proper recovery is just as important as the hardest training session.

Put It All Together: Mental Training for Peak Performance

Now that you have these mental tools, how do you implement them? Start small. Pick one or two psychological skills training techniques and work them into your routine. Maybe it’s a pre-workout visualization, a self-talk mantra during tough intervals, or a daily check-in on your emotional awareness.

The goal is consistency. Just like physical training, mental training requires regular practice. But the payoff? A stronger, more resilient athlete who can handle whatever the road, trail, or race course throws at them.

So go ahead—train your brain, embrace the challenge, and unlock your full potential. Because endurance isn’t just a test of the body—it’s a test of the mind. And now, you’re ready to ace it.

This article was inspired by our webinar with Dr. Scott Frey. Dive deeper into these principles with the webinar here:

Endurance sports have long been seen as a test of physical and mental grit, and women have continually shattered expectations. From ultra-distance cycling to Ironman triathlons, women athletes are proving that their physiological and psychological strengths make them uniquely suited for endurance competition. In a recent discussion featuring world-class triathlete Daniela Ryf and national champion Ruth Edwards, professional cyclists for Human Powered Health Cycling, the conversation highlighted the power of women’s endurance, the role of physiology, and the mental strategies that drive success.

The Science Behind Women’s Endurance Performance

Research increasingly shows that women have unique advantages in endurance sports. Their ability to metabolize fat more efficiently, sustain steady energy output, and demonstrate greater resistance to fatigue makes them well-suited for long-duration efforts.

Hormonal fluctuations, however, can also present challenges. Tracking the menstrual cycle and understanding its impact on performance can help athletes optimize their training and race-day strategy.

Ruth Edwards emphasized the value of tracking her cycle to anticipate changes in energy levels, anxiety, and recovery needs. By planning around these fluctuations, she maximizes her performance rather than letting her cycle be an unpredictable variable.

Pushing Through Adversity: Training and Racing on Tough Days

Another compelling part of our women’s endurance conversation was Daniela Ryf’s approach to racing, even when her body wasn’t at 100%. When asked if she ever considered not starting a race due to her cycle, she responded with an emphatic no. For her, once she commits to a race, she follows through—regardless of how she feels that day. While some days require taking painkillers to manage discomfort, she focuses on giving her best in whatever capacity she has in the moment.

Edwards shared a similar mindset, noting that as a professional road cyclist, racing 40-70 times a year means that some races will inevitably fall on difficult days. Rather than allowing discomfort to derail her efforts, she embraces preparation and awareness. She highlighted that knowing her hormonal cycle in advance allows her to adjust expectations and strategies accordingly—whether that means fueling differently, managing race-day anxiety, or setting realistic goals based on her body’s needs.

The Importance of Training Partners and Community in Women’s Endurance Sports

Endurance sports often seem like an individual pursuit, but Ryf and Edwards both emphasized the deep connections forged through training and racing together. Ryf recalled how her early years in triathlon were shaped by training with an older athlete, which motivated her to push beyond her limits. Having someone to chase and learn from helped her evolve more rapidly as a junior athlete.

Training partners not only provide motivation but also create a sense of accountability. The camaraderie built through shared suffering and success fosters friendships that extend far beyond the finish line. Edwards reflected on how even if she doesn’t see certain training partners often, their influence on her career and mindset remains strong. The relationships built in endurance sports last a lifetime.

Adapting to the Realities of Women’s Endurance and Physiology

One of the key takeaways from the discussion was that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing endurance performance as a woman. Each athlete must learn how their body responds to different phases of their cycle, how their energy levels fluctuate, and what strategies work best for them.

Some women, like Ryf, push through pain and discomfort without hesitation. Others, like Edwards, use tracking to plan and adjust expectations in advance. Neither approach is superior—the key is self-awareness and strategic adaptation.

Moving Forward: The Future of Women in Endurance Sports

As more conversations like this one take place, the stigma around discussing menstrual cycles, hormonal changes, and endurance performance continues to fade. Women are learning to harness their physiology rather than fight against it. More research, coaching resources, and technological advancements in cycle tracking will continue to empower women athletes to perform at their best.

For endurance athletes looking to optimize their training, the key lessons from Ryf and Edwards are clear:

• Track your cycle to understand how it affects performance.
• Embrace discomfort and adjust expectations without losing sight of your goals.
• Lean on your community—training partners and teammates can be invaluable sources of motivation.
• Trust your resilience—women’s endurance is not just a biological advantage but also a mental strength developed through consistent effort and adaptation.

By adopting these strategies, athletes of all levels can maximize their endurance potential and redefine what’s possible in the world of endurance sports.

If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here:

If you’d like to start training with an intuitive program that can adjust based on how you’re feeling, try out Humango.