Mindset for runners

Pressure is something every runner, athlete, and high-performer faces - but how we experience it and respond to it can make all the difference. In this episode, Rob breaks down what pressure really is, where it comes from, and why most of us unknowingly create it ourselves.

You'll learn:

The psychological roots of pressure and how your brain reacts to it

Common ways athletes build pressure on themselves

Practical strategies to work with pressure instead of letting it overwhelm you

Mindset shifts that help you perform at your best, even in high-stakes situations

Whether you're chasing a personal best, tackling an ultramarathon, or just feeling the weight of daily expectations, this episode will give you actionable tools to turn pressure into performance.

Resources:

Mindset For Runners Community– Join the community for support, coaching tips, and exclusive mindset content.

Follow me on Instagram: @RobMasonRuns for daily insights on running and mindset.

Time Stamps:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
02:15 – What pressure actually is
08:30 – How we create unnecessary pressure
14:45 – Strategies to work with pressure
22:10 – Mindset shifts for peak performance
28:00 – Closing thoughts

Have you ever wondered why your mind seems to turn against you right when you need it most — in the middle of a tough race, a big workout, or standing on the start line? In this episode, Rob breaks down the three parts of your brain — the Human, the Chimp, and the Computer — and shows you how understanding this simple model can completely change the way you think, feel, and perform as a runner.

Drawing on Professor Steve Peters’ The Chimp Paradox and A Path Through the Jungle, plus The Brave Athlete by Lesley Paterson and Simon Marshall, you’ll learn how your “chimp brain” can hijack your thoughts, create chaos, and trigger self-sabotage — and how to calm it down when it does.

This episode is all about practical mental skills you can use right away: tools to manage nerves, deal with negative self-talk, handle pressure, and find clarity when your emotions take over.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

The three parts of the brain — and which one is running your race

How your chimp hijacks you before, during, and after a run

What it means to “give the chimp a banana” (and how to do it effectively)

Simple tools to get back into your Human brain when things feel out of control

Practical strategies from The Brave Athlete to train your chimp and build calm confidence

How to use the question “What’s the plan?” to stay focused and regain control

Real examples of how elite runners manage their inner chaos

Key Takeaway:

You don’t need to silence your emotions — you just need to understand who’s driving your thoughts. Once you know how to recognise your chimp, manage it, and step back into your Human brain, running (and life) gets a whole lot simpler.

Resources Mentioned:

The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters

A Path Through the Jungle by Professor Steve Peters

The Brave Athlete by Dr Simon Marshall & Lesley Paterson

Learn more about Rob and his course and community:

https://www.robmasonruns.com.au/

With the 2025 Coast to Kosci ultramarathon just around the corner, I’m re-releasing one of my most meaningful conversations — recorded shortly after I won the 2022 Coast to Kosci 240km ultramarathon.

In this interview with the amazing Bex Vandenburg, I share what was really going through my mind during the race — the mental tools, emotional shifts, and lessons that helped me push through fatigue, doubt, and pain to reach the finish line first.

Whether you’re lining up for this year’s race, crewing a runner, or simply fascinated by what it takes to perform at your best in extreme conditions, this episode will give you:

Practical mindset strategies for the toughest parts of the course

Insights into managing fatigue and staying composed under pressure

The importance of self-talk, presence, and purpose in long ultras

How to reconnect with your “why” when things get hard

I’m re-sharing this now to help this year’s runners and crews prepare mentally for the journey ahead — and to remind everyone that Coast to Kosci isn’t just a race… it’s a test of character, heart, and belief.

Tune in before race week, take what resonates, and may it serve you out there on the road from the coast to the summit of Kosciuszko.

Links to my mindset coach, Claudine Chi's, website and Instagram:
www.claudinechi.com

www.instagram.com/claudine.mindsetcoach/

A short movie about the 2013 Coast to Kosci made by the talented Filmmaker Pete Davies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8B0do3izqo

Most runners start for personal reasons — fitness, freedom, challenge, or escape. But there’s a deeper, more powerful layer available to every runner: service.

In this episode, Rob explores how your running can serve others — from the people closest to you, to your broader community, to causes that matter deeply. When you shift your focus from what running gives you to what it gives through you, everything changes: your motivation, your resilience, your sense of purpose.

Rob shares stories from elite and everyday runners, practical ways to reframe your training, and reflections on meaning, gratitude, and connection. You’ll walk away seeing your running as more than a sport — it becomes a form of contribution.

You’ll learn:

How purpose and service transform your motivation and mindset

Why chasing happiness is less fulfilling than pursuing meaning

How to “own your gift” and express it through your running

Stories of runners using their miles to create change

Practical ways to dedicate runs, serve others, and run with gratitude

The sacred shift from self to others — and how it changes everything

Check out: https://www.robmasonruns.com.au/

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:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6232759/