Mindset for runners When Your Mind Says Stop — How to Reframe Your Thoughts and Keep Moving Forward
In this episode Rob dives deep into one of the most powerful — and underused — tools in running: reframing.
When fatigue hits, when the mind wants to quit, or when a long run feels impossible, reframing lets you change the meaning of what’s happening — and that changes your experience. It’s not about pretending it’s easy; it’s about choosing a different lens to see it through.
Rob breaks down how reframing works from both a brain and performance perspective, drawing from:
- Professor Steven Peters’ Chimp Paradox model — and why managing your “chimp” matters mid-race
- The science from Giles et al. (2018) showing how reframing reduced perceived effort during endurance exercise
- The link between the prefrontal cortex, oxygenation, and your ability to stay calm, logical, and focused
- And how to access the flow state — where running feels effortless and free — by “feeling more, thinking less.”
Then, Rob shares a full toolkit of reframes inspired by NLP, coaching, and mindset research — simple phrases that can change everything when your mind is screaming to stop.
You’ll Learn:
- How the brain responds under pressure — and how to stay in the human brain, not the chimp
- Why reframing lowers perceived effort and keeps motivation high
- 10+ practical running reframes you can use instantly
- How to practice reframing in training so it’s automatic on race day
- A new way to think about pain, fatigue, and limits
Key Quotes:
“Runners who reframed rated the same hard run as easier — nothing changed physically, only mentally.”
“When fatigue says ‘I can’t,’ answer back with ‘I won’t quit.’ That flips control back to you.”
“Reframing is about choice: the run is the same, but how you talk to yourself changes everything.”
Learn more about Pete Shaw’s excellent NLP training (and more) here:
https://www.scaryandexciting.com
Read the full study from the episode here: