Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr · May 26, 2026 · 11 min

53. Why Your Long Runs Feel So Mentally Hard (and Why Mindset Hacks Aren’t Fixing It)

In this episode of Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr , Coach G explores why so many runners struggle mentally during long runs, and why “mindset hacks” and motivational tricks often fail to create lasting confidence. If you’ve ever found yourself spiralling halfway through a run, questioning your fitness, catastrophising about race day, or convincing yourself you “can’t do this” , this episode is for you. Coach G breaks down what’s actually happening psychologically during hard runs, from discomfort intolerance and fear-based thinking to the pressure runners place on themselves when things stop feeling easy. Rather than teaching you how to avoid difficult thoughts, this episode will help you understand why your brain reacts the way it does during endurance training - and how real confidence comes from building self-trust inside discomfort, not escaping it. Through honest personal reflections, powerful mindset reframes, and journal prompts like “What do I make discomfort mean about me?” , this conversation will help you stop treating every difficult run like proof you’re failing. Because mentally strong runners aren’t the ones who never struggle - they’re the ones who stop panicking when struggle shows up. Links: - The Club - because there's more to running than what's featured in Strava. Work on the mindset stuff that can make all the difference. - Re-write your running story with  The Runner Identity Project (aka TRIP) - Curious about what coaching could do for you? Jump on a consultation call with Coach G - Break through what’s holding you back and unlock your next level with 1:1 Coaching - Join 31x31: 31-Day Self-Trust Challenge - If you like to listen to music on your run, grab your  new fav running playlist here -   If you are guessing what to eat before, during & after your run then look no further -  grab this 3-part running fuel series . Let's stay in touch: Follow  @gmacspurrcoaching  on Instagram Join the  Your Running Coach by GMacSpurr  community and keep the conversation going www.gmacspurr.com