Toughening the Mind by Challenging the Body
How to build a mindset for endurance
John was running as fast as possible on the treadmill: His breathing was deep and quick, his face contorted with effort. He was reaching his limit, and would soon be unable to maintain the increasing pace of the VO2 max test (a measurement of the maximum amount of oxygen a person uses during intense exercise). He would choose to stop, and the fitness assessment would be over.
The previous time I tested John in our sports lab at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, 15 months earlier, he was an occasional runner. With no regular distance goals, he was relatively unfit. But now, after months of training and progressively challenging his body, John was leaner, stronger, fitter, and closer to reaching his goal : to run an ultra-marathon.
My lab confirmed that John’s aerobic fitness was improving. He was able to consume and use more oxygen while he ran, and he required less energy to maintain his pace.
None of these changes were surprising. The idea that high-volume aerobic training transforms the body and improves overall fitness is well understood.
But there was also another — less visible, but still noticeable — shift in John. Psychological tests confirmed he was more mentally tough, agreeable, and…
