Mental Training for Ultrarunning

by Addie J. Bracy, Clare Gallagher (Foreword)

It’s no secret that if you plan to run in the toughest endurance races, you need to physically prepare for the extreme demands you will be subjecting your body to. But successful runners will be quick to note that physical preparation is only part of the equation. You need to be mentally strong to withstand, and overcome, the challenges of this grueling sport. That’s where Mental Training for Ultrarunning comes in. Sport psychology consultant Addie Bracy has coached and provided mental performance consulting to elite athletes in many sports, and she herself has been a competitive distance runner for more than two decades. In Mental Training for Ultrarunning, she combines her firsthand coaching and running experience, along with profiles of ultrarunners who’ve experienced the highs and lows of the sport, to explain what you need to know and practice in order to cross that finish line. In this book, you will learn tools and techniques to help you prepare for and overcome some of the biggest mental and emotional challenges you may encounter in ultrarunning. You’ll find more than 35 practical activities that will guide you in taking an introspective look at your own potential roadblocks so you can develop and strengthen the skills you need to run with confidence. Whether you’re training for your first ultra or looking to compete at a higher level, Mental Training for Ultrarunning will prepare you for the good, the bad, and the worst experiences you might encounter on the trail, road, or track. With expert guidance from athletes who have seen it all, you’ll learn how to train your mind and anticipate all the variables that could keep you from achieving your ultimate running goals.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Psychology

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2021

Reviews

[Aude Hofleitner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong review of the field of sports psychology and how it applies to ultra running by professional ultra runner and coach Addie Bracy. The book is very well structured with Mental Training exercises that encourages the reader to pause and reflect on their own feelings, experiences, goals.
A few things that I found particularly interesting:
1. goal setting
Separate outcome (e.g. placing first), performance (e.g. finish in 3h), process (e.g. finish strong, nail nutrition)
2. focusing on the things that you can control (not useful to complain about the weather...)
3. Embrace being vulnerable. We can only know our limits if we risk failure

I enjoyed the examples from athletes in how they navigate the different aspects that she presents. She also provides examples from her own experience and make herself vulnerable

[Tammy Swinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a trail runner yet, but this book was chock full of information that will help me on my next road marathon. And it’s inspired me to run trails! I thought it was so informative, I’m going to reread it immediately- this time with one in hand to take notes!

[Chris Linder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish publishers would pick up books written by everyday athletes and not just the elites. While these ideas might work if you’re going for the podium, many of them are not of interest, nor even applicable, to me. I literally want to finish my race. I don’t need to adjust my race plan based on the competition. The competition has nothing to do with me. There are so many things in this book (and many like it) that illustrate how out of touch these elite athletes are with an everyday athlete. And they’re poorly written cuz they’re sold based on the name not the content. Sigh. I welcome suggestions of books about running written by an average athlete!

[Jennifer O’Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this I already knew or had read elsewhere, but it was really helpful to have the information all in one place, and I appreciated the thought-provoking exercises. Mindset training is so important in ultrarunning, especially at the really long distances!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many worksheets to actually start utilizing what you’re reading about. 10/10 Recommend to anyone that runs or wants to run ultras.

[Jaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in April 2022 but many months later, barely remember it. I looked and didn't see any notes I had taken on it either. Seems like good advice for running more generally, but if you've been running for years, especially if you started with a coach of some kind (e.g. in school), nothing really new to take away with you.

(I also read some other ultrarunning-related book in 2022 but cannot seem to find it based on looking at covers and unfortunately don't remember title or author - that one I do have notes for about a bit of casual sexism but it definitely wasn't this one.)

[Thebestdogmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good read about the psychology of ultrarunning. I’ve run something like 30 ultras and I have personally dealt with a lot of issues talked about in the book. Kind of wish I had a book like this a decade earlier. At this point it was nothing new to me, but still overall not a bad read. Lots of worksheets if you are into doing that sort of thing. I think it would be a good book for a new ultrarunner.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info, but nothing new. Great intro to sports psychology, but it's all pretty basic stuff that any runner who follows sports psych will already have read. It is, however, well-written and well-organized, and the info is sound, so I look forward to more- and more substantial- works from Bracy.

[Arie Klop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think ill have to read it again next year, its more of a self help book than anything else. It did get me to realize why i am doing more extreme distances running and in triathlon, though not really ultra distances.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Good.

[Tony Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important read for any aspiring ultra distance runner. The mental lessons in this book will improve anyone who commits to the tasks inside these pages.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book by Addie Bracy. I am not a competitive runner but found all the info informative and helpful. Definitely for all runners.