In 2019, I was running the Milwaukee Half Marathon with the intention of finally breaking two hours.

Race day conditions were perfect. I was nailing my paces. I distinctly remember thinking, as I ran down a gently sloping street along Lake Michigan, “I’ve got this, I’m going to do it!”

And then, almost immediately after I passed the eight-mile mark, my stomach seized with anxiety. My mind went into a panic. I still had five miles to go, and I no longer felt confident.

“I don’t know if I can do it! This feels too hard.”

This moment completely threw me off my groove. I slowed down, only getting back on pace for the last mile. I finished in 2:02:54.

My brain went negative and so did my performance. I know the issue was all about my mental strength, or lack thereof. The good thing is that mental strength is not something you either have or you don’t. It’s something you get better at with time and practice.

If you’ve ever struggled to get through a race or run because your mind started to work against you — worrying or thinking negatively — mental training will help.

The benefits of mental training

Denver-based professional runner and running coach Brittany Charboneau says she’s seen the very real benefits of mental training for herself and the runners she coaches.

In an interview, Brittany shared that when she ran in college, she struggled with her mindset. “I was the hardest on myself I ever was during that time, and looking back I realize how terrible I was to myself in my head. And, of course, my results weren’t good; I wasn’t enjoying it. I wasn’t taking care of my body.” Recognizing when the negative mental talk was happening and working to change her internal dialogue has made all the difference.

Mental training became a part of Brittany’s routine when she started working with her current coach and owner of Mercuria Running, Jenni Nettik.