Mental Tricks To Run Faster & Longer!

[@oldmandice2731]

Smile...best "trick" I've ever come across. Just smile. Especially when it gets really tough, force yourself to smile. Smiling releases endorphins, increases nitrate utilization, and lowers heart rate and blood pressure. People must think I'm insane as I run past them with this big silly grin on my face but I've found since I started smiling my runs just seem so much easier. So, smile!

[@bearshark25]

THISS! I found out about this totally random!

[@missingmimic]

I just lie to myself lol, whatever I have to do, i just tell my brain 5 more minutes or next stop light. My brain is pathetically easy to trick 😂😂

[@ryanmartin5456]

erm…

[@mawilliams777]

😂 you and me both!

[@YY-bp2rq]

I tell myself “you do this run and you can have a rest day tomorrow” - and my inner-inner voice says well… probably not 🤫

[@robertstenhouse3880]

Is this you or your brain talking? 😂😂

[@50Something]

I count randomly in my head when I run and I have no idea why, it drives me absolutely crazy! Music helps, and doing linear runs where I run 10K in one direction and simply return home is key for me. To get out the door on lazy days, I simply tell myself to give it 20 minutes to try to settle in. These end up being my best runs and I feel quite amazed that I could trick myself into finding the strength to get the run completed!

[@jadencosta1279]

My last marathon in Arizona some friends and I played the alphabet game for each mile (mile 1 was A, mile 2 was B, etc). Time flew by for those first several miles

[@Joe_Souza]

I miss your “Hello Everybody” intro. Every time I start your video, I try to say it as fast as you.

[@SimonWilliamsTutor]

Sibarax!

[@anelkaisgood2]

Halorobdee!!

[@philipeick-vocalmusic]

Loving the guy right behind you in the last shot of the video from the Berlin marathon wearing one of your hats!

[@Snerunseasy]

Great stuff Ben,it does get hard out there on race day,it helps to tell your mind that you've done this before and you'll get through (practice on training)

[@bluesque9687]

You said it, man! I feel encouraged to know that an experienced and a good runner like you has an advice that already works for me! I mean, that's exactly the kind of thing I do to trick my mind: I tell myself I can always come back home after a couple of kilometers... and then I find me running a lot more, and then I set a goal or two!!

[@jeanines_channel3246]

I was getting bummed out today about this cold windy running, but then I saw this video. Thank you very much for the inspiration!

[@ccinnz]

I do the 1-100 counting. It's also good when you are getting tired towards the end of a run to stop yourself constantly looking at your watch. I pace roughly 1m/step, so try to count in sections that knock off, say, 1km blocks and only then allow myself to check my watch.

[@sjb1971]

I'm going to try and finally do my first marathon-I downloaded your beginner marathon plan with a goal of trying to finish-hopefully under 5 hours.

[@steve24550]

Solid advice. Thanks for sharing.

[@Mr80Miles]

If I have to drag myself round when I don’t feel up for it is a definite recipe for injury. I find having a flexible approach allows me to still have a good run even if it’s not the one I planned. But maybe this is a 50+ thing!

[@owenmcgh]

At the moment, I tell myself the hot runs in summer will help me with my autumn race. The end goal is the race, not the end of the run I'm on.

[@Weegie2]

My marathon race strategy is to set the main part of my watch to lap (mile) cadence and average cadence. That way you are not focusing on what mile or pace you're running but how many strides you're taking. If you're average cadence is 180 and your lap cadence in mile 23 is still 179 then you'll know that you haven't slowed down all that much, yes your legs will be tight but it's cadence that drops off dramatically at the end of a marathon especially if you're forced to walk.

[@jameswilkinson3949]

Haha love the maths in the head! Similar to the counting to 100, I count my steps up to my favourite numbers😂 count to 16. Start again and count to 32. Keeps me distracted. Also seems to helps me keep to a regular cadence. (Oh my I’m going to sound like a weirdo) 😂😂

[@Welshstreets]

Can't beat the sound of the hardcore doing a big Marathon.I can even move to the beat,the whole event is just like rave where you dont stop dancing.Each to their own,might be freakish for some,but the music is so intense that it just take you way,pure magic.😀😀😀🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[@andyQ123]

I totally agree! How can you not double the pace when a hardcore banger comes on. Uplift!

[@mrwhiffle]

Definitely can vouch for making long runs into blocks of different paces, and also out and back is psychologically much less monotonous than loops/laps.

[@MyfanwyCollins]

Thank you for this! Watched it twice because I'm having a hard time getting out the door for my long run today.

[@rubarb1275]

Really liked this one! Lots of good advice. I also find with a running club that I will do training sessions in a group that I wouldn't do on my own, so I get a benefit that I wouldn't otherwise have.

[@mrburb]

Great video, needed this. Would be great to have some tips for when things start to go wrong, pace slipping etc...I find I start overthinking things and the mental load starts to become a very real physical load!

[@arne.munther]

I started to run every day (at least 2 km). It makes it a lot easier to get out the door to do a run. The shortes runned this month has been 2.58 km as a warm up to some weight training.

[@patxtx_runs]

Really needed that video today ahah (so cold here!!)!! Thanks Ben!

[@timbrawdy2249]

I have a race tonight! It’s snowed last night. So I’ll need this video

[@michaelhatch1994]

My only trick has been to count to 40 breaths on my right foot strike, then switch to forty on my left foot strike. When that gets boring I do forty breaths as a forefoot strike and then forty as a heel/midfoot strike. Then finally forty right/breath/forefoot and so on. Switching breathing sides is said to help prevent a stitch (maybe).

[@bh4560]

I need to do yesterdays 10miler when i get in from work! 😂 im going to love it!

[@danielconde13]

My mental trick during a Half Marathon is to split in thirds; 7K, first third is done!; 14K, second third is done!. Basicaly, never think how much is still left to run, instead think on how much you already achieved.

[@thejeffinvade]

Keep doing math in my head.

[@tabe5686]

Haha I know a guy who just does math all run long. So he will be on a 10 mile run solving the Riemann Hypothesis!

[@macau.friend]

When I ran Singapore Marathon two months ago, I focused my attention on a few attractive people ahead of me and just kept following them. That was the only way I managed to finish the race 😂

[@sambarker5294]

Lmaooo works at the gym too at the treadmill if there are some in front of you 😂

[@CiCC-kány]

I agree with the most points, but some are the opposite for me. I don't tell myself that I will run only one mile, then I will see how I feel. That doesn't get me out of the door. I feel great about knowing that I will run 20 km. I will split it up in my mind during run, but it motivates me to get out if I know I get to run long. Out and back runs are safe, you just go back the same way, it even feels shorter than doing a loop, but a loop is more interesting. Even if I do an out and back run, I try to make it loopish. Like running on different sides of a river.

[@AndrewPawley11]

Some very good tips there. Very good indeed.

[@hahaheslop]

I ran London Marathon 2018 in 24 degrees, and Berlin Marathon 2019 in an apocalyptic storm! I have no luck with weather. 😅

[@Welshstreets]

I ran the London Marathon in 2018 too,my first Marathon.Didnt enjoy at all had stomach cramp at one point.

[@hahaheslop]

@@Welshstreets oh man, sounds horrendous. 🙁

[@RunAllTheMiles]

Fortunately the voices in my head telling me to stop gave up on me years ago and stay quiet when i run these days lol

[@General1Cal]

I been running almost for 8 months straight with few pauses, suddenly out of nowhere i am starting to feel like quiting somewhere around mile 8 mile 9 seems like my body is just tired, so switched to cycling on the stationary 25 to 20 miles per day and short runs 3-5 miles.

[@benito892]

I like to mentally break my 60 min run into 6 min laps. (each of them being 10% of the training) not that much if you look at it that way😅

[@Barry3326]

Actually seem someone in Dublin today with a hoodie with "GETTING IT DONE" on it.

[@julieburton7393]

My second half race endurance is a real problem. I work hard in training to cope with the last section of a race half/full marathon but just can’t bring it all together on race day.

[@Glatzfrosch1236]

Hell yeah! Training for my first 10km right now, i wanna get to running 5-7 miles 6 times a week.

[@Pjerka]

What is the park in the video that you run in? Looks nice! I would like to check it out

[@lyndainnes5475]

Doing math in my head, or naming as many animals or countries as I can for each letter 😅

[@nrjonesy]

Don't run enough out and backs. Must add some into my routes.

[@reluctantfellrunner]

It's funny how the mind works! Best wishes.

[@Mickeeey18]

You know what i like about races the medal you get at the end :D I just got my package deliverd :D #belgium !

[@afisaiful91]

lie to myself everytime i train, now i have tendon achilles, continue training with tendon achilles to strengthen my mental... dunnow whether thats good or not

[@SantaCruzRunner]

Going through the alphabet backwards is my go to!

[@botrytis_cinerea]

@5:04 Guy's (in white tank top) face expression behind Ben a bit weird to say the least 🤣

[@jjchang9874]

cursing myself when walking is starting to comes in my mind. I'm telling myself mf you ran this distance during our LSD lol

[@maxmckee3131]

“Hello everybodeeee” ??

[@stephenlaw1202]

all of the above🤣

[@pierre-yvesdantec3802]

On thé road : trying to count 25 red cars.... Then 20 dogs...

[@Catcrumbs]

Walk breaks. No matter how fast you are, regular walk breaks on your long runs and races will help you get to the end in good shape and tie in to the 'chunking' technique too.

[@tonyhawker4067]

I just tell myself to "stay hard"

[@venkateshvilapakam7248]

Actually I do the step count 1 to 100 and reset at every km and start counting again. It gives me a sense of the pace I am running at as I don't like looking at the watch too often. Also it keeps my mind occupied.