5 best books for running motivation and mental training
- Liubov Lomonosova
- Apr 23, 2020
- 3 min read
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." -Thomas Jefferson
In April 2019 I ran my very first Boston Marathon. I have finished it but not even close to the result I was hoping for. I was strong physically, but my mental game was very weak. I lost that race even before I started it. My mental chatter box made me confused. When I started the race I forgot why I was working that hard what my goals were. After thorough race analysis I came to the conclusion that my mental fitness needs to be worked on and decided to find the best books to help me learn about it and start improving it.
Here is the list of the books that transformed my mind and made me a better runner:
An amazing story about Olympic Games 2004 bronze medal winner, Deena Kastor. She describes her running story with all ups and downs. In her book she teaches how to achieve incredible results with simply start shaping your thoughts and dedicate time for mental fitness work. The book is so easy to read and so much to learn.
"Our thoughts can either stifle or draw out our physical potential." - Deena Kastor
This book consists of many inspiring stories of different athletes in different kinds of sport. As a person relatively new in running I learned about famous great athletes, as Steve Prefontaine and his mental strength.
"Mind is everything. Muscle - pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind." -Paavo Nurmi.
The Champion's mind is one of the books that transformed my mindset. It is good one to read not only for competitive runners or other athletes, but also for everyone who wants to be happy and successful. The book is based on studies and research findings. It helps to set goals, become more confident and stronger athlete. The most important from this book you will learn how to be a champion!
"Excellence can be achieved only today - not yesterday or tomorrow, because the do not exist in the present moment. Today is the only day you have to flex your talents and maximize your enjoyment. Your challenge is to win it in all aspects of life. To reach that goal, you need to set yourself up for success by winning one day at a time. Procrastination is no match for a champion." - Jim Afremow, PhD
4. TRAIN YOUR MIND FOR ATHLETIC SUCCESS. Mental preparation to achieve your sports goals, Jim Taylor, PhD
Such an incredible book, which teaches how to achieve "Prime Sport". Running or ant other kind of sport is not only about physical training, but also about training your mind. You'll learn how to overcome different kinds of obstacle, stay positive, how to visualize and how to improve your performance using various mental tools.
"What makes the great athletes great is their ability to perform their best in the worst possible conditions (e.g., bad weather, terrible field conditions, hostile crowd) against the toughest field imaginable in the biggest competition of their lives. What also makes them great is their ability to transcend fatigue, illness, injury, pressure, and other challenges; rise to the occasion of a big event; and perform at their highest level." - Jim Taylor
The best book that will teach you how to turn your weaknesses into your strength. If for any reason you cannot train or compete now, this book will help to overcome all your fears and frustrations. You will become more confident, stronger, will learn how to visualize and improve even when training is not an option. Great book to boost your motivation and make you hungry for new victories again.
"Good things can and do happen when you keep chopping. Eventually, the forest will thin out and you'll find yourself standing in daylight." -Jim Afremow
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