I get asked "why" I run all the time. The first thing that comes to mind for me is because I love being outside and now, I get to see way more in a shorter amount of time! But even deeper than that is that trail running has made me so, so, so much tougher. Mentally, I am able to accept things, logically face things and come up with solutions when previously, I would crumble, hold things internally and let them effect me very deeply. Mental toughness is a quality that can be molded, like a beautiful piece of pottery, over time. What does it take to start working on your mental toughness? Discomfort.

“Pain, it only hurts” -ultra-running legend Scott Jurek

Like distanceathletics states, "the majority of DNF’s don’t come from an unbearable source of pain. And the don’t come from injury. They come from the runner, slowly, and skillfully, talking themselves out of the race. The just don’t want to be there anymore, and they tell themselves whatever is necessary to end the experience with honor. Or just to end it."

The hard, uncomfortable situations are what truly shape us and force us to grow. Those moments when chafing begins to sting, sweat gets into the burns and you want to immediately throw in the towel. The times when your calves, hip flexors, knees and ankles are screaming at you to end the movement, to stop the climbs, to quit bombing down the steep hills. When you're hiking and it starts to rain and you're cold, tired and discouraged. When you fall and cut your shins or palms or forearms open and everything hurts. Those hikes where the climbs just keep coming and it will never end. When hot tears hit your face because lets face it... pushing ourselves isn't easy and it brings up every emotion possible. Things get raw. Distractions aren't readily available. Going into the "pain cave" is....inevitable.

Distanceathletes again say it perfectly, "Those moments where everything is moving fast and your heart is slamming into your chest and you’re asking yourself whether you can hang on-that is living. In this moment you are in your element. You are a strong and powerful human being, testing and exploring the outer ranges of your physical and mental capabilities. Where else would you rather be?"

When you are facing obstacles, getting gritty and feeling pain...that is living. Grinding through these experiences makes us into a stronger, more courageous, more capable person. Mental toughness translates to most every aspect of your life: your ability to handle hard news, tough situations, impossible seeming setbacks, stress, doubt...the list goes on. Mental toughness gives us the tools to wrap our minds around obstacles to see the other end, that we can endure hard things and come out still fighting.

When I think of practicing mental toughness -- yes, practicing -- I am in the midst of learning how to be out running for hours at a time. If you are beginning your trail running adventures, you can start by saying, "I'm going to be out here for 45 minutes" then, "I'm going to be out here for an hour"...then two, three, four hours. This practice of just having radical acceptance really shifts things. "I am going to be out here for most of my day, this is what I'm doing, this is what is happening". This means it may be painfully slow, it may feel nearly impossible, but....mentally I am preparing myself that this is what is in front of me.

Girl running in Usery Mountain Regional Park near Mesa, AZ

If the miles feel intimidating what do you do? Break the mileage down into attainable bits. Mile by mile, 5 mile chunks, aid station to aid station, one cactus to the next. Whatever helps you just keep moving forward will continue to help you get stronger. Running truly is a sport of mental strength. Our bodies will keep going as long as our brains tell it to. How amazing is that? It also goes to show how much we influence our own capabilities and perceptions of what we can achieve.

One thing I've always loved about my time with Lululemon was that they always always had you write down your dreams and goals and then identify your WHY. The same goes for any sport you take on: why are you doing this? Why are you training? Why are you signing up fo the race? Is it to work towards a milestone of health, is it for the accolades, is it to become elite at the sport, is it because you are passionate about the activity, is it to raise awareness for a cause, is it is for the sole purpose of testing your limits? Maybe a mix of all of them, but truly know your "why", dig deep and when things get dark....remind yourself of it. Over and over and over again.

I think it can be so easy to lose sight of what got us into something for US, that we focus on everything and everyone else and what they are doing around us. It takes away from our ability to feel joy and pride for what WE are accomplishing. It is really important to be able to say "I am so grateful and happy that I am able to be here, experiencing this, with a healthy body." Mental toughness also means expressing appreciation for our bodies, those that support and encourage us and for nature in general -- because if you're out there, you're seeing some of the most beautiful areas in the world, end of story.

I know it may sound sugarcoated but trying to keep your mind in a positive place and expressing gratitude along your way will make your experience that much brighter every single time. When you allow your mind to get down, negative and heavy it will stay there and therefore, your experience will become tougher than it already is. I've had runs where I focused so much on something (my body in pain, the heat, the elevation gain, my pace) that I didn't like that it completely clouded the main reason I'm out there: to enjoy the trails, to be in nature and to disconnect and get in tune with ME.

The more we can train our minds, the better we become. The more real we can get with ourselves and the further we can push ourselves. Mental toughness doesn't happen over night, but it is something that totally changes the game performance-wise and in life!

*all gear worn in images is from RunJanji

* fuel sources are always Salt Stick + Spring Energy

Getting Mentally Tough With Every Mile

From 5k to Ultra: My Personal Journey to Endurance Races

Strength Training For Runners: The Why.