25 Positive Affirmations for Endurance Athletes

When performing exercise over a long period of time, the mind will quit a lot sooner than the body will.  

It was once believed that the body was simply a machine and that the key to optimal performance came from the heart, lungs and muscles. The truth is that roles of the body and mind are intertwined.

Positive affirmations for endurance athletes help train the mind to be more resilient in the face of physical challenges, allowing you to move closer to your full potential.

How does the mind affect endurance?

According to Dr. Tim Noakes, famous sports physiologist, the brain unconsciously regulates exercise performance.

When you are performing exercise over a long period of time, you reach a mentally imposed performance limit.

You start to feel awful. Every moment feels like an eternity. Excuses to stop start flooding your mind. Ultimately, you’ll slow down well before the physical need is there.

A great example of the impact of the mind on endurance is at the end of a long race. Often, you tend to speed up in the last section, when the finish line is in sight.

If you were exhausted and your muscles were failing, this wouldn’t be possible. This phenomenon occurs because you recruit more muscle.

So, why can’t you recruit more muscle at any time during the race? Well, It’s the certainty of you finishing that allows you to speed up.

Your mind is a powerful tool and learning how to program it provides you with invaluable knowledge. Let’s take a look at how affirmations can help you do this.

What are affirmations and how can they help with endurance

Affirmations are statements used to bring about a desire or result you wish to achieve.

You may wonder what effect a few words can have on your mentality, but there are several mental and health benefits linked to using positive affirmations.

In terms of endurance, they will give you greater confidence in your physical capabilities, allowing you to perform at a higher level.

As an athlete, you have probably already surprised yourself with what your body is capable of. So, why not push that boundary further?

See for yourself – try using some of the positive affirmations for endurance athletes below as part of your daily routine.

25 Positive affirmations for endurance athletes

Let’s start with the basic ones.

10 Positive affirmations for endurance

  1. I naturally develop my endurance ability. People see me as a hardworking, determined athlete
  2. I have incredible amounts of endurance
  3. I eat good foods and keep my body in top condition
  4. My body is my temple
  5. I am able to push my body to accomplish incredible things
  6. Every mile, I’m becoming stronger and stronger
  7. I’m prepared, focused and ready for this race
  8. I am an incredible athlete
  9. I endure through any obstacles or struggles I am faced with
  10. I am an endurance machine

5 Positive affirmations for fitness

  1. I am excited to exercise right now
  2. Today my body is becoming stronger
  3. I am strong and can complete any exercise
  4. I am proud of myself for exercising regularly
  5. Diet and exercise are all that I need

5 Positive affirmations for endurance athletes: Marathon running

  1. I enjoy training and push myself because I love to run
  2. I am positive and hopeful while I run
  3. I find genuine enjoyment in running. Intense sessions build my running capabilities.
  4. I am naturally fit and strong. I run long distances with ease
  5. I am an excellent marathon runner. Each day I become faster and stronger than the last

5 Positive affirmations for motivation

  1. I achieve greatness by pushing the limits
  2. No matter what my goal is, I can achieve it
  3. I am always achieving my goals and setting new, harder ones
  4. My limits are just an illusion. I can push past them
  5. There is no finish line. It’s a continuous race and I’m always improving myself.

These are some great examples but remember you can always adjust them to your will. You could even make personalised ones for yourself.

The main premise behind an affirmation is that they are positive and in the present tense. Other than that, you can go wild!

It’s also important to discuss how you can implement them into your life.

How to apply positive affirmations for endurance athletes in daily life

So, you’ve found the statements you want to use but you’re not sure about when or how to use them.

How?

First of all, the most important thing with any affirmation is to believe the words you are saying. Of course, with some affirmations this won’t be the case but by repeating them, you open your mind up to a new possibility.

If you say something like ‘I am a world class marathon runner’ and you don’t believe it, your mind will start questioning why you don’t believe it.

What can you do to get there? How far are you from that level? Do you have the level of motivation that’s required to get there?

These are all questions your brain will start to ask itself and the answers you get hold great value. The first step to improvement is realisation.

When?

As an endurance athlete, you have many opportunities to use affirmations.

In general, affirmations are very effective when repeated soon after waking up. They help you set the tone for the upcoming day, while your mind is in a relaxed state.

You can try repeating them in front of the mirror, or while still in bed, before getting up.

As someone who exercises a lot however, you can implement them directly into your routine.

Try repeating them to yourself during your workouts, or even in the middle of a race. Motivational affirmations can be invaluable sources of energy when you start to feel fatigue settle in.

Key takeaways

Hopefully, this list provided you with great value.

Remember, the mind plays a great role in what you can achieve but it’s also important not to neglect yourself physically.

It can be easy to start working on the mental side of your training, see beneficial results, and then start to neglect your exercise.

The key is balance. After all, your mind and body are working together to make you the best athlete you can become.

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