Race Your Way to Mental Toughness
Love it or hate it, cardio is an essential part of any fitness regimen. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition recommends adults 
perform a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity five times a week. But if you’re reading this, you’re not about minimums. You’re about results (in fitness and in life) — and having the mental toughness it takes to get them. So what’s the key to mental toughness through cardio success? Here’s a hint:
Get Ready, Set…
We all have reasons we work out— weight loss, physical fitness— but without concrete goals, working out can seem like drudgery with no real finish line. Training for a race gives you that finish line, whether it’s to run your first marathon or improve your fastest 5K time. A race on your calendar provides a concrete goal to achieve by a set date. Having that goal inspires discipline and consistency, traits that will serve you well on your career path AND help build mental stamina.
Mental Toughness Trick: Switch it up. While working out consistently builds physical and psychological strength, doing the same workout day in and day out results in body and mind burnout. Keep your cardio workouts fresh by adding variety with spinning, elliptical training or a Jillian Michaels workout video such as those featured on Gaiam TV. Not only will this keep boredom at bay, but it’ll work different muscle groups in different ways and your workouts will be more effective.
Go!
Competing in a race does so by testing that preparation and your will to win. There’s something about the thrill of competition and the rush of adrenaline as the starting gun fires that brings out our ability to push ourselves beyond what we thought we were capable of. Our mental toughness is tested and strengthened during the intensity of competition as we strive to perform at our best.
Mental Toughness Trick: Break it up. Former Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) champion and author Tom Osler recommends breaking a race into segments with only the last part of the race run at maximum effort. Osler also recommends inserting walking breaks into longer races, such as the marathon. It’s easier to harness your psychological fortitude and embrace the discomfort of a hard effort when you know it’s only going to be for a limited amount of time.
On To The Next…
Immediately after you finish a race, you’re gasping for air, your heart is pounding, your muscles are aching, things are chafing and you’re thinking you’d be insane to ever want to put yourself through that again. The funny thing is above all that is the exquisite euphoria of accomplishment. You did it! And as soon as you’ve caught your breath and had a chance to bask in that glorious post-race feeling, you find yourself planning your next race. Now you know you’ve got the power of endurance over your mind and body and you’re ready to take on the next big challenge.
Mental Toughness Trick: Make a statement— a mission statement, that is. Sport psychology consultant and Ironman-distance triathlete Paige Dunn recommends drafting a personal mission statement to help you figure out what you want to get out of racing – or any sport you participate in. This statement will help keep you on track and focused, something you can apply to just about any goal you want to achieve in any area of your life.
