As with any sport, mental strength is a key factor in trail running, just as important as kit preparation and physical training. Over the kilometres, when muscles are burning, it's the mind that determines whether you'll push through to the finish. But the mind can be trained and built up gradually, just like the body. Building mental strength is therefore essential in trail running — as in many endurance sports — to sustain willpower and self-sacrifice under effort.
Before a trail: preparing and building mental strength by setting goals
The essential source of a strong mind lies in desire and motivation — and one of the key drivers of both is having a clear objective. A long-term goal might be completing a dream route, taking part in a flagship race, or achieving a specific performance target. Set yourself a few major key goals over the course of a year, chosen carefully. There is no point in setting unachievable targets, but they must carry real ambition and fit into a mindset of continuous progress.
Over a year, set yourself a maximum of 2 or 3 key goals. You can then break your season into smaller time blocks, assigning lesser objectives to each — stepping stones towards the big goal of the year.
For every outing or training session, set yourself a small goal too: completing a given route in a set time, hitting a certain number of kilometres…
By practising achieving a small goal on every outing, you train your mind for more ambitious targets — and above all to act as a relay for the body when it begins to tire. Building mental strength comes through the accomplishment of many small, progressively greater goals.
Before a big goal, it is essential to prepare mentally. Visualise the route in your mind, identify the tough sections, and draw on positive memories — the trails that went well — to build the confidence you need when you line up at the start.
During a trail: self-confidence and intermediate goals
The start is often a relief, sometimes even a gentle euphoria. But as the kilometres stack up, the body needs the fuel of motivation. Picture the intermediate stages in your mind: a summit, a feed station. By breaking the challenge into small chunks, you keep it within the realm of the achievable and avoid overwhelming yourself. Remind yourself that you have never been closer to your goal, and that the effort still to come is nothing compared to what you have already put in during the long preparation behind you.
When the going gets tough and you feel close to breaking mentally, try to visualise the positive feeling you will have when you reach your goal. Tell yourself you deserve it and that you have worked hard to get this far. And repeat to yourself: "I will do it" — not "I can do it"!
After the trail: a new goal!
Once the euphoria of the finish line fades, athletes can sometimes experience a slight post-race low: the tension drops, the adrenaline drains away. You may feel empty, and in the weeks that follow your mood can dip. First, savour the pleasure of having achieved your goal and share your feelings and emotions with others — with those close to you. Then comes the moment to move forward towards something new, to set a fresh goal. Mix things up — don't repeat the same race year after year. Motivation also comes from discovery and novelty, which spark interest and excitement.
How to bounce back after failure or a DNF?
If you didn't finish due to a physical problem, the priority is to recover and regain full control of your body before finding enjoyment and motivation again. If it was a mental lapse, try to identify the causes of the setback. What didn't work? Then put it in perspective and build on what you have learnt. Everything you did is an achievement and a foundation on which to build your next success. Finally, don't put too much negative pressure on yourself — this is a sport and a pastime, and it should remain a source of joy and wellbeing for both body and mind. Building mental strength also comes from the simple pleasure of doing an activity you love that makes you happy!
