New perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
“I can’t finish this workout; it is too hard.”
“I should have the FKT for that route.”
“If I were a faster runner, I would be done with this race.”
The sentences above are examples of Automatic Negative Thoughts, or ANTs. These pessimistic or cynical ideas often—consciously or subconsciously—pop into a person’s mind and can feel uncontrollable at times. When running, ANTs can derail a race or workout, and lead to decreased mood or self-esteem. You might think you’re just being hard on yourself, but the repercussions of ANTs are incredibly harmful and difficult to stop.
However, there is a way to combat your own internal put-downs. Building emotional intelligence can counteract these thoughts, which will help improve mental performance as an athlete.
Emily Hemendinger, recreational mountaineer and the clinical director the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder department says, “Almost everyone is prone to have Automatic Negative Thoughts.” She adds, “When they become frequent, they can impair our mental and physical health.”
RELATED: Here’s What Data Says About How to Run a Sub 2:00 Half Marathon
Common Types of ANTs
While ANTs can present differently, there are 10 common types to look out for, all of which have the common theme of internalized defeat or inadequacy. The main types of Ants are:
- All-Or-Nothing Thinking is only experiencing the world in black or white and seeing any performance less than perfect as a complete failure. Hemendinger offers and example of this ANT: learning how to backcountry ski. “I would tell myself that I am not good at it, ask myself why I’m even trying, or telling myself that I am going to slow everyone down. This prevents me from even trying, and prevents me from improving.” She explains that reminding herself that everyone is a beginner at some point helped her overcome her perfectionism and try.
- Overgeneralization is the belief that a non-ideal outcome is a pattern of failure or defeat. Andrew Simmons, a running coach and owner of Lifelong Endurance explains that sometimes athletes get too focused on achievement and results. He says, “I try to remind them of where they were. This could be the growth and advancement of fitness, it could be a great workout or performance after an injury.” Simmons discusses the importance of adjusting one’s point of view. “Perspective is more than gratitude for the opportunity and ability to do something. Perspective is gained through trust in the process and requires that the athletes rebuild trust in themselves over time to arrive at the place we, as coaches, envisioned them from the day they started with us.” Regarding overgeneralization, perspective needs an overhaul, taking time to look at the big picture, rather than the zoomed-in view of the race run on a particular day.
- Mind Filtering is picking the negative events out of a situation, rather than acknowledging the big picture or positive events. Running coach Kaitlyn Yonke, a runner for Speedland who holds the FKT for the White Rim Road 100-Mile route, says, “This usually happens in the form of not hitting a pace goal in that very time and place or missing the goal I set to get to an aid. If I sit in that feeling, I tend actually to slow down and not get back on track. And ultimately feel like my race is over.” Yonke says that she now works on using a missed goal to reset her mind and evaluate her needs. Laura Bruck Renzelman, a running and triathlon coach and owner of Deep Roots Endurance, is always on the lookout for perfectionistic thinking with her athletes. “When I see athletes starting to get obsessive and perfectionistic about training, I often have them ditch the data for a bit. Just get out and move for the pure love of moving.” Bruck Renzelman goes on to say that she encourages athletes to try a new trail and reconnect with their passions to avoid the negative way of thinking.
- Positive Disqualifying Thinking is discrediting or rejecting positive events with the belief that they are invalid or a fluke. For many runners, this may be discrediting a good workout or race performance in service of the belief that they are an imposter in the sport. Andy Wacker, a professional runner and founder of the Trail Team, discusses this experience regarding extrinsic motivation, “My worst race experiences occurred when I went in with expectations to podium in a race purely for the prize money for top three. Then placing 3rd and earning less money (than 1st and 2nd) or god forbid 4th (and earning nothing) seems catastrophic.” He says that he works on giving himself grace when it comes to race performance, “I try to go into races with an open mind. Sure, my training hasn’t been perfect, but let’s give it a go anyway.”
- Jumping to Conclusions is making assumptions based on existing negative beliefs. In running, a person might assume that, because a workout did not go well, they should not even bother with a race.
- Catastrophizing is amplifying the importance of a mistake and believing a negative outcome is a bigger deal than it actually is. Ashton Keck, an ultra runner based in Costa Rica, recounts experiencing this during the Bandara 100K. “If I didn’t keep the pace I had in mind, then that showed I just wasn’t good enough. I considered just giving up ultra running altogether in that race, but I decided to finish.”Keck’s experience highlights how an athlete can overstress the importance of a race, even deep into the event.
- Emotional Reasoning is the assumption that feeling a bad emotion makes it accurate. According to Hemendinger, overidentifying with a negative emotion amplifies its power. “When you say, ‘I am failing,’ or ‘I am sad’ you are making that feeling part of your identity. Rephrasing to acknowledge the emotion as its own experience can help.” For example, instead of the thought, “I am bad at running.” One could rephrase it to, “Running is feeling difficult right now.”
- Should Statements use the idea that one is not upholding expectations to motivate themselves. Brittany Charboneu, a professional runner for The North Face, says that she experiences Should Statements frequently in her training, “Ughhhh, this is me all the time! ‘I should be running as fast as so-and-so. This workout should feel easier. I should be fitter than I feel.’” She goes on to add, “‘Should’ is the destroyer of joy. I’ve shifted my self-talk to more gentle or powerful statements like, “I am breathing and am strong. I absolutely cando this.” She finishes by explaining that removing the Should Statements from her language has brought more joy into her running and racing.
- Labeling and Mislabeling is a step beyond overgeneralization, where, after a negative experience, a person labels themselves or the experience as inherently bad. Most runners will experience a difficult point in a run or race. Rather than dwelling on the experience as negative, separating the moments and looking at the big picture can help.
- Personalization is when people believe they are the root cause of a negative event, taking all the blame on themselves.
While extremely similar, ANTs differ from Intrusive Thoughts, which are unwarranted images, impulses, or ideas that can be unsettling. Hemendinger explains the difference as, “Intrusive thoughts are more of a ‘what if,’ while Automatic Negative Thoughts have more to do with our perception of ourselves and the world.
RELATED: A Comprehensive Guide to Periodization for Peak Performance
How ANTs Impact the Mind, Body, and Athletic Performance
Negative emotions and beliefs about oneself are tough on a person. In a recent study, researchers found there was a strong correlation between frequent ANTs, negative core beliefs, and lower self-esteem. The study also concluded that there is a correlation between experiencing ANTs more frequently and those diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders.
“There is research pointing to the physical impacts of negative self-talk,” Hemindinger says. “Especially when you look at the symptoms of depression and anxiety, such as fatigue and sluggishness.” She goes on to add that such symptoms can get in the way of physical activity and motivation, referencing research that acknowledges chronic pain as being correlated with ANTs or negative core beliefs.
In a 2022 study of 258 female gymnasts looked at positive and spontaneous self talk it was established a correlation between positive self-talk and higher levels of confidence. On the opposite side of the coin, the gymnasts who participated in negative self-talk during practice experienced more anxiety or frustration in performance. The study went on to recognize a connection between cognitive focus and self-esteem, meaning those with a better view of themselves were more engaged in the sport.
Combating ANTs
Because the ANTs are automatic, they are difficult to stop. However, that does not mean that they need to be all-powerful. Using tools to build emotional intelligence and work through negative beliefs about oneself can help reduce the impact the ANTs have.
Building Emotional Intelligence
In a 2023 study looking at runners in Spain, it was found that the athletes who engaged with the least amount of negative self-talk also scored higher in their emotional intelligence (EI.) The key factors of EI are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Taking time to build up mental health with a professional or engaging in practices such as mindfulness, are impactful ways to improve emotional intelligence.
Awareness and Identification
The first step in working through ANTs is letting the thoughts be what they are. Hemendinger says, “When you know the terms and can label the thought specifically for what it is, such as jumping to conclusions or all-or-nothing thinking, they lose a lot of power and just become ideas rather than beliefs.”
The article, Your Best Life: Managing Negative Thoughts—The Choice is Yours, covers the mental wellbeing of medical professionals. Author John D. Kelly says that taking authority away from negative thoughts and emotions can be empowering for someone dealing with anxiety or imposter syndrome.
Reframing
After naming and becoming aware of the ANTs you struggle with, it can be helpful to reframe them. This includes acknowledging what is being said and then looking for the reality or truth in the statement rather than dwelling on the positive.
This does not entirely mean that life has to be sugar-coated. In a study looking at 2,000 participants evaluating linguistics used in reframed thoughts, participants preferred vocabulary that was empathetic or compassionate to the situation rather than overly optimistic.
When athletes are doing hard things, like racing and training, some negative thoughts are to be expected. However, learning how to re-frame those thoughts into positive outcomes can be a superpower for athletes.
Power of Positive Thoughts
While ANTs might not be the default setting of the human mind, they are easy to fall victim to. When it comes to more solitary sports, such as running long distances, the mind is a powerful tool. Figuring out how to harness positive thinking can have a long term benefit to health and running.
There are several studies that indicate positive thinking and embracing happiness can improve overall performance in a race or run as well. In day-to-day life, there are also indications that positive thinking can improve blood pressure, reduce heart disease, and add to the longevity of life overall.
While it can be a difficult practice to start, moving away from the automatic negative way of thinking can be beneficial in many aspects of life.
Lexi Miller is a UESCA Certified Running and Endurance Nutrition Coach who has written for Trail Runner Magazine, TrainingPeaks, and other fitness blogs. With a background of working in mental health, she prioritizes holistic health and joy in her company Wild Miles Running , where she works with distance runners, nordic skiers, backpackers, mountaineers, and endurance enthusiasts. On any given day, Lexi can be found playing in the mountains of Colorado with her toddler and dog.