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Running Strong Mind-Body Connection

Running Strong Mind-Body Connection

Written by: Karen Bonnett-Natraj
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Uncover the inspiring stories of amateur athletes and their running adventures. Learn about the vital mind-body connection and its impact on sports and daily life. Join us for insights and tips to boost your mental fitness Tune in, get inspired, and run strong!2024 Karen Bonnett-Natraj Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • How to Stop Wanting to Quit Mid-Run!
    Oct 9 2026

    How do you stop negative self-talk while running when your mind tells you to quit? #running #confidence #runnermindset

    Learn how stress, self-critical thoughts, and limiting beliefs can affect your confidence and mental approach to challenges. Discover a different way to respond to pressure, break negative thought patterns, and build a healthier mindset for running and everyday life.

    ABOUT KAREN BONnET-NATRAJ Karen Bonnet-Natraj is a mental fitness and peak performance coach, founder of The Mental Fitness Edge, and host of the Running Strong Mind-Body Connection podcast.

    Her work explores the relationship between mindset, performance, and wellbeing. Her endurance achievements include 15 Ironman finishes, nearly 50 ultramarathons, and a 29:59:51 finish at the Western States 100-mile race. HOW TO STOP NEGATIVE SELF-TALK WHILE RUNNING

    When a run gets difficult, what happens inside your mind?

    Do you tell yourself you're too slow, focus on what is going wrong, or question whether you can keep going?

    Negative self-talk can influence how you feel and respond when facing a challenge.

    For runners, learning to recognise unhelpful thought patterns is an important starting point for developing mental fitness.

    The goal isn't to pretend every run feels easy or to ignore physical warning signs. It's to become more aware of your thoughts and choose a constructive response.

    In this conversation, Karen and executive and life coach Theresa Vita explore the relationship between stress, self-imposed pressure, perfectionism, limiting beliefs, and performance. They discuss how repeatedly focusing on struggle can reinforce a negative cycle, why high achievers can be especially hard on themselves, and how greater awareness can help people respond differently. You'll explore why your inner critic may not be helping you, how your beliefs influence your thoughts and emotions, and why you don't have to treat suffering as the price of success. The conversation also explores gratitude as a daily practice and the value of moving your body.

    If you want to build mental toughness for running, stop getting caught in negative thinking, and approach challenging moments with greater awareness, these ideas offer a starting point for reflection. Use them to notice your own inner dialogue and consider what you want to tell yourself when a run becomes difficult.

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    18 mins
  • How to Keep Running When Your Mind Says Stop
    Oct 3 2026

    Do you ever reach a point where your mind says, "I can't do this. I want to stop"? #mentalfitness #mentalstrength #running

    This conversation explores how endurance sports can help you build resilience, confidence, and a stronger mindset when life and running get difficult. Want a free resource to strengthen your mental fitness? Start here:

    https://www.mentalfitnessbootcamp.org/unleash-free-gift-707888

    Prefer deeper training on mental fitness and mindset? Apply to the bootcamp and see if it is a good fit for you. https://thementalfitnessedge.com/register-app-bootcamp

    When running gets hard, the challenge isn't always your body. Sometimes it is the voice in your head telling you to stop, doubt yourself, or believe you cannot do something. Karen Bonnett-Natraj, Mental Fitness & Peak Performance Coach, explores that connection with Laurie Singer, a licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified behavior analyst, and endurance athlete.
    Laurie shares how running helped transform her life after starting from zero fitness following childbirth, and how endurance sports became part of her journey through profound personal adversity. Her experiences include ultra-marathons, cycling across the United States, and mountain climbing.

    Karen brings her own endurance experience to the conversation, including 15 Ironman finishes, nearly 50 ultramarathons, and a 29:59:51 finish at the Western States 100-mile race.

    Together, they explore what running can teach us about mental strength, perseverance, aging, adversity, and personal growth. If you have ever wondered:

    • Why does running feel so hard?

    • How do I keep running when I want to quit?

    • How can running build mental strength?

    • What can endurance sports teach me about handling life's challenges?

    • How can I change the negative thoughts that show up when things get difficult?

    This conversation offers a different way to think about running motivation and resilience. Instead of seeing difficult moments only as something to escape, Karen and Lori discuss how challenging experiences can become opportunities to develop self-awareness, perseverance, and a more positive mindset.

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    50 mins
  • Why You Want to Quit When Running Gets Hard!
    Sep 25 2026

    Are you struggling with mental fitness when life gets hard and you keep putting off the decision you know you need to make? #mentalfitness #mentalstrength #peakperformance

    Learn why waiting for perfect clarity can keep you stuck, and how making a decision can create the clarity you've been waiting for. Want to build stronger mental fitness?

    Start here: https://thementalfitnessedge.com/register-sept24

    What if the thing keeping you stuck isn't that you don't know what to do, but that you're afraid to choose?

    Karen Bonnett-Natraj, founder of The Mental Fitness Edge and host of Running Strong Mind-Body Connection, explores this question with author, entrepreneur, minister, and "unapologetically truth teller" Jan Jensen.

    Jan shares why she believes indecision is a decision to stay stuck, why people often wait for clarity before taking action, and why clarity can actually come after you make a decision. The conversation also explores self-trust, fear of making mistakes, the inner critic, grief, changing priorities, and the importance of giving yourself grace when a decision doesn't turn out the way you expected.

    Karen brings her own perspective as a mental fitness and peak performance coach, with 15 Ironman finishes, nearly 50 ultramarathons, and a 29:59:51 finish at the Western States 100-mile race.

    • What you'll discover
    • Why do we keep saying "maybe" when we already know something needs to change?
    • Why are we so afraid of making the wrong decision?
    • How can making a decision actually create clarity?
    • What happens when old beliefs and your inner critic start making decisions for you?
    • And what would you choose differently if you stopped waiting for the perfect moment? Suggested Chapters

    If you're ready to explore mental fitness and develop a stronger approach to the challenges you're facing, join Karen's free workshop: https://thementalfitnessedge.com/register-sept24

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    About The Mental Fitness Edge Karen Bonnett-Natraj is a Mental Fitness & Peak Performance Coach and the founder of The Mental Fitness Edge. She is also the host of Running Strong Mind-Body Connection. Her endurance experience includes 15 Ironman finishes, nearly 50 ultramarathons, and a 29:59:51 Western States 100-mile finish.

    Listen to Running Strong Mind-Body Connection

    Explore more conversations about mental fitness, peak performance, and the mind-body connection through the Running Strong Mind-Body Connection podcast.

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    22 mins
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