Mental Toughness: The Secret to Endurance Succes
Strathclyde Marathon 2019, completed with Zero Training. 4:54:00
Mental Toughness:
The Secret to Endurance Success
Endurance sports like triathlon push athletes to their physical limits, but the real battle often occurs in the mind. Mental toughness is the unseen force that propels athletes through the toughest moments, setting the good apart from the great. Renowned endurance coach Joe Friel often emphasises that while physical conditioning is crucial, mental resilience is what truly defines success. In this read, we’ll explore the key aspects of mental toughness and how it can enhance your performance in endurance sports.
1. What is Mental Toughness?
Mental toughness refers to the psychological edge that helps athletes cope with their sport's demands, pressures, and adversities. It involves staying focused, maintaining self-belief, and pushing through challenges. In endurance sports, where races can last hours and conditions can be unpredictable, mental toughness is just as vital as physical preparation. In his widely respected "The Triathlete’s Training Bible," Joe Friel underscores that a strong mind can often compensate for physical shortcomings, especially when the going gets tough. Recently Ice Baths and Dips have been a popular way to improve mental strength. This method provokes wide debate. My opinion is, that if you think it’s beneficial for you and you don’t like it, do it - it probably does enhance your resilience. Will this act alone help you in the dark moments of a 26-mile run? Maybe…if you believe it does, then so do I.
2. The Mind-Body Connection in Endurance Training
The connection between mind and body is linked in endurance sports. Mental toughness influences how athletes perceive pain, fatigue, and even the passage of time during a race. Joe Friel often stresses the importance of mental training alongside physical workouts, noting that a resilient mindset can help athletes push their bodies beyond perceived limits. By training the mind to endure discomfort and stay focused, athletes can unlock new levels of performance. Simple practices like doing your long training run without headphones can be a simple and effective way to let the mind and body tune into each other.
3. Developing a Positive Mindset
A positive mindset is a cornerstone of mental toughness. It’s about believing in your abilities and staying optimistic even when things don’t go as planned. Friel emphasises the power of positivity, encouraging athletes to focus on what they can control and to see setbacks as opportunities for growth. Developing a habit of positive thinking can keep motivation high and reduce the mental strain that comes with challenging training blocks. As an example, reframe the things you don’t want to do in your training and work-life balance.
You don’t have to train 12 hours this week. You get to train 12 hours this week.
You don’t have to swim before work. You are lucky enough to get your swim before work
You don’t have to split your workout on either side of the school run. You get to do the school run as well as your workout.
Reframe it. It sounds cheesy but every negative can have a positive reframe.
4. Goal Setting and Visualisation
Setting clear, realistic goals is a powerful tool for building mental toughness. Goals give athletes direction and purpose, helping them stay committed when the training gets tough. Joe Friel advocates for the use of visualisation techniques, where athletes mentally rehearse their races, envisioning both the challenges they’ll face and their desired outcomes. This mental preparation helps athletes approach their events with confidence, having already "seen" themselves succeed in their minds.
Do you want mine? I daydreamed for a year about what going sub 12 hours on a Full Distance Trip would feel like. I imagined the feeling, the photos, the cuddle with Lyndsey. I even imagined what the social media posts would be like. I went into race week confident, and excited. I was focused on that rather than stressing about anything else.
5. Embracing Discomfort: Building Grit
One of the most important aspects of mental toughness is the ability to embrace discomfort. Endurance athletes regularly face pain, fatigue, and the temptation to quit. Embracing these feelings, rather than resisting them, builds grit. It’s about accepting that discomfort is part of the journey and using it as a signal of progress. Strategies like breaking races into manageable segments or focusing on one step at a time can help athletes endure these tough moments. Dark moments in your training are for the dark moments in a race. You lean on that. Stop swapping the wet rain runs for a nice dry and warm indoor treadmill run. Get out. Get Wet.
6. Consistency and Routine: The Foundation of Mental Toughness
Consistency in training is not just about building physical fitness; it’s also a critical component of mental toughness. Allow me to highlight the importance of routine, noting that disciplined, consistent training builds confidence and mental resilience. Sticking to a plan, even when motivation wanes, reinforces the mental skills needed to tackle long races. Over time, this consistency develops a strong mental foundation that athletes can rely on during competition. Your training should be flexible enough that you can complete 90% of the workouts. So you can move workouts when life gets in the way.
7. Dealing with Setbacks: Resilience in Action
Setbacks are inevitable in endurance sports, whether it's an injury, a missed race goal, or a tough day in training. How athletes respond to these challenges defines their mental toughness. It is only a failure if you don’t learn from it. If you don’t come back for more, stronger. Resilience involves analysing what went wrong, making adjustments, and moving forward with renewed determination. This process of bouncing back stronger is at the heart of mental toughness.
8. The Power of Self-Talk
Self-talk, or the internal dialogue that runs through an athlete’s mind, can significantly impact performance. Positive self-talk can boost confidence and motivation, while negative self-talk can undermine it. I talk to myself during runs and bikes. Sometimes I sing to myself. Sometimes I am nice to myself, sometimes I am really angry. By practising positive self-talk, athletes can turn their inner dialogue into a powerful tool for performance. I tell myself it’s gone time. Or it’s time to harden up. I treat myself like a client.
Ross Edgley mentions an approach to training at events
“Ignorant enough to start and stubborn enough to finish”
This, as long as you keep it safe, is some of the best advice you can follow.
9. Staying Present: Mindfulness in Endurance Sports
Endurance athletes often face the challenge of staying present, especially during long races where the mind can wander. Mindfulness, or the practice of staying fully engaged in the present moment, can enhance performance by reducing mental fatigue and improving focus. Friel recommends techniques such as deep breathing, body scanning, and concentrating on immediate tasks to help athletes stay grounded and avoid getting overwhelmed by the race ahead. Listen, if you do a marathon you’ll be running alone for between 3-6 hours. Your mind is going to wonder. It’s possibly where you will have some amazing ideas. You’ll plan business ideas, family ideas training ideas, and you may even find yourself planning Christmas dinner. This is ok, I just encourage you to find an anchoring point to bring you back to the job at hand. Check in on technique. Check in on breathing. Check-in on your fuel strategy. Have a song to bring you back. Mine is “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Every little thing is going to be alright.
10. Practical Exercises to Boost Mental Toughness
Building mental toughness requires deliberate practice. Friel suggests incorporating mental training exercises into regular workouts. Techniques like mental rehearsal, where athletes visualise themselves overcoming race challenges, can strengthen mental resilience. Stress exposure training, which involves practising under less-than-ideal conditions, can also prepare athletes for the unpredictability of race day. Swapping your pool swim for an open water swim for example. Or your chilled long run on a Sunday for an interval run with someone faster than you. By consistently working on these mental skills, athletes can develop the toughness needed to excel. I mentioned Ice Baths earlier. All these people who ice bath once a day and think they are building resilience, my argument is that this is a comfortable exercise for you. Your ice bath is in your back garden and you are in the shower within 1 minute afterwards. You have made something uncomfortable as comfortable as you can. Reverse engineer my friend. Keep it safe, but chase the uncomfortable to build that resilience. Superset the Ice Bath with 50 push-ups 2-3 times. Or a short run. Make sure you get your head under for 5-10 seconds (keep it safe please)
Swap the Ice Bath in your back garden for a sea dip (keep it safe please!)
Conclusion: Mental Toughness Is A Big Factor In Endurance Sports
While physical training is essential in endurance sports, mental toughness is often the Godfather that determines success. It’s the mental edge that helps athletes persevere when their bodies want to quit, push through pain, and stay focused on their goals. As Joe Friel highlights, integrating mental training into your routine is not just beneficial but necessary for achieving your full potential. By developing mental toughness, athletes can unlock new levels of performance and truly excel in their endurance pursuits. Your regular Training plan will build mental toughness gradually. To help you overcome those tough moments on race day lean on the harder, darker, moments of the training.
Joe Friel is a renowned endurance sports coach, author, and founder of TrainingPeaks. With over 40 years of experience, he has coached elite triathletes, cyclists, and runners. Friel is best known for his influential books, including "The Triathlete’s Training Bible," and his expertise in training methodologies and sports science. Click here to buy this book on Amazon