“Finish Stronger” Mindset for Ultrarunners

I came up with the name Finish Stronger Mindset Coaching (I am also the founder and owner of Finish Stronger Counseling) from my experience and passion for running.

To “finish stronger” means to end the session better than when it began. – Whether it is a race, training session, or a mindset coaching session.

For example, think about how you might train for a marathon. During training runs, sometimes the goal is to have negative splits and to push harder in the second half.

Another example is “Hanging on” or maintaining mental toughness for the final stretch is also considered finishing stronger.

Finish stronger stems from growth mindset.

“Yeah, that was hard, but I did it!”

“I walked in strong and crawled out stronger.” – Something we might say to ourselves after an ultramarathon.


Badwater 135, 2021

Finishing strong can look different for everyone

Keep in mind that finishing strong can look different from person to person.

[Try to not fall into the comparison trap and compare yourself to other runners]

From these experiences, there is opportunity to learn something new about oneself and about running.

The runner can gain empowerment, self-confidence and strength.

“I can because I did!” “I can do it again.”

If the session didn’t go quite as the runner hoped it would, they may consider the attempt a failure, but there are still things to take away from the experience.

The runner has to CHOOSE to have a positive outlook and approach in what they take away from that training session.

This bump in the road or “failure” is not an “end all” experience, it does not define the runner.

Having that positive outlook and approach leans into the concept of finishing strong.

You are a better runner (in a different way than you hoped for) now because of the events you experienced leading up to missing the mark and through the failure itself.

You have information and experience for your next attempt.

Runners can learn how to adjust and tweak weaker areas and how to further challenge themselves. There is always room for improvement.

When practicing pushing beyond the comfort zone, one can begin to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The runner becomes increasingly familiar with feeling uncomfortable and gets into the habit of finishing strong, which then transfers into other parts of life.

Through having hard work ethic, positive thinking, resilience, growth mindset, and mental strategies, a person may leave their coaching session feeling better, more knowledgeable and well-equipped than when it began.

“Finish stronger” is a mindset and a way of squeezing the most out of life.

Picture taken going up Mount Whitney Portal (the final stretch), Badwater 135, 2021

Mount Whitney Portal Road, Badwater 135, 2021

Are you ready to tackle your mindset and mental wellness goals?

If you are interested in working together on stepping up your mindset and mental wellness around racing and life, reach out to me.

I’d love to hear about your goals.

We will look at problem areas or where you’d like to see improvement, set a realistic goal, and then put those steps in place.

– I work with ultrarunners all over the United States who want to dial in their race mentality, mental strategies, and overall improve their mental wellness.

— My coaching services are fully on the mental side (I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and well over a decade of experience working in the mental health field. Coaching is a non-clinical service).

Here’s what we can work on

  • Improve day-to-day mental wellbeing.
  • Build better habits.
  • Incorporate mindfulness
  • Learn emotion regulation strategies.
  • Set challenging, yet attainable goals.

  • Discuss motivation
  • Address body image thoughts or concerns.
  • Talk about you! Who are you, besides a runner or athlete? – parent, sibling,
  • entrepreneur, community member… What else do you do, and how does it impact training for races or vice versa?

  • Coping with injury and setbacks.
  • Juggling priorities and time management.
  • Are you actively trying to find a mental health professional? I can assist!
  • Are you searching for a running coach? I can provide pointers on how to go about finding someone who’s a good fit and what questions to ask the coach when interviewing them for fit.

  • Mental strategies and mindset for racing.
  • Training and race day visualization.
  • General worries and race day stressors.
  • What might you do if you encounter a problem during a race.
  • Building trust with yourself.

  • Improving self-care, self-esteem, and self-compassion.
  • Knowing when to push yourself and when to be kinder to yourself.
  • Why’s and meaning behind what you do. Passion. Using that as support and drive.
  • On top of talking, I do provide resources and homework.

I hope that this information paints a picture of the things that we can address together.

Contact me if you have questions or want to schedule.


Friends doing weigh-in, Badwater 135, 2021

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Beth receiving her buckle and shirt, Badwater 135, 2021

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Be well,

Shannon