We get runners of all shapes and sizes, but who considers the fact that our personality plays a big role in determining what sort of runner we become and our running psychology?
I have been fascinated with running psychology, first as a competitive runner myself, and then for the past 24 years as a running coach. Our personality type helps us to understand our running psychology, and why we prefer certain race distances.
Psychology of an elite runner
Remembering it still gives me goosebumps. It was at the start of the 1984 Comrades Marathon that I saw intense focus in the eyes of an elite runner. Standing alongside my training partner, Chris Reyneke, I was nervously enjoying the vibe and excitement, unable to stand still.
This was before the seeding system had been introduced. We had been standing there since 3:30am, waiting for the 6am start. It was the only way we could ensure we weren’t stuck behind thousands of slower runners.
Chris was completely silent, unaware of the noise and the throng of runners. He was motionless, his eyes fixed on a diminutive Wits runner in the row ahead of us: Bruce Fordyce. His look was of a man going into battle, a look that said “I’m taking you down”. Perhaps boxers are like that before the bell goes for the first round.
Fordyce was going for his fourth win, while Chris was the outsider and not rated, despite his 2:24 marathon PB at the SA champs earlier that year. Chris took the lead at the 30km mark and held it for almost 40km, finishing third in 5:34, the fastest third place Comrades had ever seen. And yes, Fordyce won in a record time of 5:27. But it was that look that said it all. It wasn’t arrogance, but the look of a man totally committed to his goal, and a great example of running psychology at work.
Running psychology
Are there certain personality traits, other than physical ability, that distinguish elite runners from the also-rans?
And are there certain personality traits that mean a runner is best suited to race a certain distance? Are you mentally suited to the unforgiving few minutes of a mile race, or better suited to a day and night out on the trail?
Personality traits of elite runners
Let’s first take a look at elite runners, as many of their personality traits will also be apparent in slower runners.
Task oriented
Elite runners set goals, plan training and races, pay attention to detail for gear, nutrition and hydration, and do the required training sessions. Elite runners don’t wing it and hope for the best, and this forms part of their running psychology.
Back in 1992 I was training for a sub-70min for a 21km race and my coach had me do three runs on the route, each time just on a section of it, but at my race goal pace. By the time I ran the race, I had run the entire route at goal pace and just had to put it all together on race day. And it worked.
Setting goals is an important way to focus the mind and get results. For an elite runner to say “I want to run well” is not good enough. That is a vague wish and not a clear goal. A clear goal may be a podium finish or to run under a certain time. Many of us need a race goal to stay motivated, and the goal may be to finish. But elite runners go beyond this.
As a coach, I’m sad to see many talented runners who either have no clear-cut goal or conflicting goals, and it is unlikely such runners will achieve their potential. Understanding our running psychology helps us to achieve our running goals.
Process oriented
Elite runners derive satisfaction and pleasure in doing the training sessions. The balance of task and process-orientation varies from runner to runner.
I favour a runner enjoying the process as then it means she will be a long-term runner and not stop once performances start to decline with age. There is a caveat, as being too process-oriented can result in a runner doing too much when they should be resting, simply because they enjoy being out running.
I ran my first ultra back in 1977 at the age of 15 and I still enjoy running 48 years later.
Conscientious
This is the ability to do planned tasks and be accountable. They are diligent and tend to keep good records of their training.
I have logbooks, a bit tatty now, going back to 1975 when I was 13-years-old. (Yes, there was life before Strava).
With elite runners that I coach, I don’t ask “Did you do the session?” Instead, I ask “How did it go?”, and that is great running psychology.
Self-belief
This is an ephemeral feeling and can easily switch to self-doubt when things go wrong. This self-belief comes from knowing your ability and from having done the training.
It is this self-belief that I saw in the look Chris Reyneke gave Bruce Fordyce. It wasn’t arrogance. Despite being the underdog, he knew that he had the ability and that he had done the training to take on Bruce.
Interestingly, most runners underestimate their potential. One of the pleasures in coaching is discovering runners who are talented, but who are unaware of it.
Never satisfied
As a coach, I see this after races where a runner has run a life-time best. The initial euphoria quickly disappears and the runner starts thinking “Perhaps I could have run faster, maybe I didn’t push hard enough?”
It is this sense of dissatisfaction that drives runners forward to new heights. But we also see this in everyday runners. We aim for our longest-ever race, perhaps a 10km. And after the pat on the back wears off, we start thinking of a half marathon.
Best distance for your personality type
As a runner you have probably noticed that you have a preference for short, intense races, longer, slower races, or somewhere between.
I coach a range of runners from 10km specialists like Judy Bird (Judy holds the SA national 10km record for over 60-year-olds with a 39 minute time) to outliers like Peter Purchase, who has successfully completed the 400km Munga Trail.
The most popular race distance world-wide is the half marathon, as it isn’t as intense as a 5km or 5km, and isn’t as far a marathon. Completing a half marathon is also a great goal for people new to running, who have perhaps already built up to 5km or 10km.
The 10km specialist and ultra runner are at the extremes of the running spectrum and the difference between two such runners aren’t just their leg speed and endurance, but also their personalities.
The running psychology for each of these types of runners has many similarities such as commitment and goals, but also some differences due to the personality types and the race distance.
Know your personality type
When looking at personality types we can draw upon different personality type theories such as the Myers–Briggs classification or Type A, B, C or D personalities. And, of course we find all sorts of personalities at the sharp end of the field as well as at the back.
The Myers-Briggs type test (Extravert/Introvert, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving) is worth taking, if only to understand ourselves better. The most relevance for runners is whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. Online testing is available at humanmetrics
Know your type
Type-A: Self-driven, competitive
Type-B: Charismatic, easy-going
Type-C: Introverted, stress-prone
Type-D: Love routine, follow orders
Introverts prefer self-introspection and would be happy doing solo runs and long races during which time they reflect on themselves and on life. It is me-time for such runners. This self-introspection can only happen on easy pace runs. There is little time to dwell on your life when maxed out on a speed session!
Introverts can sustain attention and focus for longer periods of time, making them well suited to longer events. The boom in ultra-trail running would (I think) attract more introverts. If you aren’t happy with your own company for hours on end, then an ultra-trail may not be for you.
Extroverts, on the other hand, do well in group runs, which may be group speed sessions or social long runs making the “loneliness of the distance runner” a misnomer for them.
We could theorise that many of those who run the big city marathons tend to be extroverts, while the bulk of trail runners are introverts. (The research hasn’t been done, but it would be interesting!)
However, many runners do city marathon and mass field events such as the Comrades marathon, and then switch to ultra trails for the remainder of the year.
Type A personalities and speed work
So, who then revels in the short and intense training sessions? The leading contenders for this are the Type-A personality runners because they are so competitive . They are also task-oriented and strive towards goals. Sound familiar?
But such a runner could be either an extrovert or introvert. I am an introvert and was quite happy doing 60km solo training runs when I was young, and yet also quite happy to do 20 x 400m intervals on the track against the stop watch.
Type A personalities risk not achieving a sense of enjoyment as they are self-critical. Yet this trait of never being satisfied we often see in elite runners as mentioned earlier.
Some runners seek instant gratification. While such runners may tend not to prepare ahead for races, they would enjoy speed sessions since they get instant feedback on how well they are running against the stopwatch. This runner can thrive on short distance races where she can race frequently.
We could theorise that your typical short distance runner may be a Type-A personality with strong coping skills needed to push through the pain, being task-oriented, and seeking instant gratification. However, I also coach elite Comrades runners who fit this description.
I see these Type-A personality traits in many of my dedicated runners. My job as a coach is to balance this with rest when needed, as they are runners most likely to burn themselves out with over-training or over-racing.
Type B personalities are charismatic and easy going, and are possibly excellent running club members, taking part in club activities such as group runs and races.
Type D personalities do well on a structured programme, with clear goals and sessions planned.
The life-cycle of a runner
We runners tend to go through a life cycle like this:
- Adolescent – Discover running, perhaps for fun or to lose weight.
- Adult – Discover that racing is fun, start setting goals and plan for races and become serious runners.
- Golden Age – Become adolescents again and discover joy in running without needing to race hard, and no longer stress about racing.
And then we have come full circle in the life cycle of a runner. At different stages of this cycle, you will display the various traits mentioned.
It is in the Adult stage that we are most likely to develop Type-A personalities and be task-oriented so that we can race.
And then in the Golden Age we relax, become more introspective, and use the runs for me-time
You can rewire yourself
Perhaps you have read this article with a sinking heart, not seeing yourself in it. But our capacity for change is enormous and as we get fitter and more competitive, we can start to learn these trait and work on our running psychology. And of course many of us will show signs of each of these traits.
I know completely non-competitive, laid-back runners, who have turned into ferocious racers.
And I have seen ferocious racers relax in later years and enjoy running simply because they do.
We see runners of all shapes, sizes, and personalities on our roads and trails, and there is a place in the sun for us all.
