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As I recently let you know, I’m currently training to run 42 marathons in 42 days. 

I promised to use this challenge as a chance to explore (and share via this newsletter) how to build an unbeatable mindset and push your limits. I wanted to dive straight into that this week with 8 of the key ‘mental games’ I play that help me run 15 miles a day in training. 

You can easily find plenty of guides online for the more ‘scientific’ aspects of training like nutrition, hydration, pacing strategies, and so on and so forth. But it’s harder to find a formula for how to build a strong mindset during training, so I thought that’s what I’d discuss today. 

The other benefit is that most of these ‘mind games’ apply to any endeavour in life—not just running. So there should be something for everyone here.

In no particular order, here are the 8 tips…

Would you rather fight a desire not to run, or a belief that you can’t?

When I wake up and face another 12, 13, or 15 mile run, don’t get me wrong—I groan inside and tell myself I don’t want to do it. 

But I also have to face an uncomfortable fact: I’ve already done it. Lots. In fact, I’ve done so every day for weeks.  

I can no longer convince myself that I can’t do it. I have a wall of evidence to the contrary. All I need to do is look back at every day that I thought I couldn’t do it, but did it anyway. 

“You don't become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.” - Alex Hormozi 

What’s the takeaway here?

Just do it once. 

The first long run is always the hardest. 

But once you’ve done it once, you have indisputable evidence that you can do it. 

And from that point on you’re simply battling your desire not to run rather than your belief that you can’t—which I find to be an easier fight. 

Note: Hopefully, I don’t need to explain how this also applies to many other aspects of life. Build your wall of evidence that you are who you say you are—in work, training, and relationships—and good things will follow. 

An easy trick I found to motivate myself to run for longer is to surround myself by people who are running even longer. 

I call this ‘wilful indoctrination’. I’m choosing to be indoctrinated into a whole different realm of what’s normal by selectively choosing my inputs and inspirations. 

This can be done in the real world, but it’s nearly as effective online as well. Find people who are running really far and suddenly you’ll start to feel like your own runs aren’t too bad. This might be as simple as following some ultramarathon runners on Instagram, or adding them on Strava. 

If I compare myself to the average person, I start to think “Wow, these are some long runs I’m putting in. Maybe I’m pushing too hard.”

But if I compare myself to these people, I start to think “Actually, Ii’m not even running that far. Maybe I need to up my game. This is pretty easy stuff.”

(Translation for non-runners: Find people in your field who excel and inspire you and tune out everyone else.)

This is a tried and tested trick used by so many long-distance runners. 

The idea is not to focus on the entire distance, but simply on small chunks. Don’t think about the 21k, just focus on knocking out your first 5k. After that, you realise it’s only another 5k until you’ve ran a 10k. And once you’ve ran a 10k you’re basically halfway. You only have another 5k to run, and then the last 5/6k is basically a cool down run anyway. 

As Confucius said: “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

(Translation for non-runners: Break large tasks down to a set of smaller tasks.)

Sometimes something counterintuitive happens when doing long runs: they actually are easier than short runs. 

I find it often takes me 45 minutes or so to actually settle in to a run. After that first 45 minutes things start to flow. Time passes differently. My body is warmed up and on autopilot. Sometimes my mind just goes quiet. 

The irony is that if I ran a ‘shorter’ run of just 45 minutes, I probably wouldn’t experience that flow. 

(Translation for non-runners: figure out how to get into a flow state and you’ll perform better and find it more enjoyable.)

I told you I wasn’t going to get too scientific and I won’t. 

But I firmly believe the body has a wonderful ability to ‘habituate’ to whatever you expose it to. 

This is due to our innate desire for ‘homeostasis’ and balance. When we push our body, it responds by adapting and evolving to meet the challenge, such that the challenge becomes our new normal. 

In other words, the first time you do a long run…it’ll feel like the hardest thing you’ve ever done. 

But if you keep doing it, your body decides it better adapt in order to regain homeostasis and balance. 

Before you know it, doing daily long runs is your new normal. 

(Translation for non-runners: The extraordinary, done often enough, becomes your ordinary.)

When you’re on a long run, you’ll need to exercise a certain muscle: the ‘don’t quit’ muscle. Or the ‘do what you say you’ll do’ muscle. The ‘follow through on your commitments’ muscle. 

But if you wait until you’re 15 miles deep into a 20 mile run to work this muscle, you’re setting yourself up for failure. 

It’s better to train the muscle before you need it. 

This is why I like to find little things outside of running that I can use to build the muscle. It might be building the habit of not hitting snooze on my alarm. The habit of journaling each day. The habit of finishing each shower with a cold shower. 

I find opportunities each day to build my ‘resilience’ muscles outside of running. Then, when I’m running and need to call on them, they’re ready and waiting. 

(Translation for non-runners: Build mental fitness in the good times so it’s ready in the bad times.)

Mindfulness can be useful in long runs. Mindfulness encourages us to be grounded in the present and focus on the here and now. 

The concept of a long run often feels daunting and painful, and taking in its entirety, I suppose it often is. 

But the funny thing is this…

If I just start running and then regularly try to stay mindful and ask myself: Is this precise moment—this moment of running right this second—daunting and painful? The answer is usually no. It’s usually quite pleasant. Sometimes it’s somewhat uncomfortable. But it’s never that bad. It’s just running. Just one foot in front of the other, breathing in and out, arms moving up and down, watching the road go by. It just is what it is. 

When you’re facing another 15km to go, don’t overworry about how much you have left to run. Just try to stay present and ask yourself if you can take the next step. The answer, so far, has always been yes. 

(Translation for non-runners: Stay mindful.)

All of these tips and tricks are wonderful ways to think about running. 

But sometimes you’re just in a dark place and there are no mental tricks left to bail you out. 

In these moments, you just have to be a dog. You have to trust that deep inside you there’s a warrior spirit waiting for the chance to prove itself. Let it. 

As legendary Czech runner Emil Zátopek said, "When you can't keep going, go faster.”

(Translation for non-runners: “Stay hard.” - David Goggins.)

Ok. 

Those are the 8 tips. 

I hope you can see how some or all of them might be useful to you. 

Don’t forget to check out marathonsformum.com to learn more about my 42 in 42 challenge and check out the fundraiser linked to it. 

Until next week!

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Your friends,

Benji and Jacob