Mental Toughness isn't just Gritting it Out

Mental toughness isn't just "gritting it out."

Yes, it can be built during races. You can expand your pain cave more during races than in training.

But, the majority of mental toughness work starts during months and throughout the years of training.

Have solid training and then add in mental skills like:

- Visualization
- Managing your harsh inner critic
- Positive self-talk and affirmations
- Following your plan and not your emotions
- Breaking run workouts down into mentally manageable chunks
- Leaning into your "whys"
- Gratitude
- Utilizing your strengths while acknowledging and working on your weaknesses
- Continue to show up, even when life has you down
- Mindfulness
- Do hard things
- Learn from mistakes and failures
- Pre and post-race questionnaires

That's a fantastic start to building mental skills.