There are tons of examples in running and other sports that suggest that we are capable of much more physically than we allow ourselves to do. I hear all the time that "it's all mental" or "90% mental." Does this mean that all those people who go out too hard the first half of the race are really falling apart mentally at the end and not physically?
No. They went out too hard.
If you are not capable physically then being capable mentally will get you no further.
I think Mark Wetmore made a quote along those lines.
Mental wrote:
"it's all mental"
That's what incompetent coaches say when their athletes fail to live up to their expectations.
No joke I wanted to bring up this same topic. 16 years ago a high school team of mine said "running is all mental " and me being young I asked for an explanation. He started to studder and then spit out some nonsense. Anyways, til this day I can't figure out what the hell people mean by it. Major of the time, if I'm physically strong, I'm also mentally strong, and other way around. I'm 32 years old now and understand people are full of shil.
Your physicality is driven by your nervous system, mostly the brain. That's what it means. Running is a mental skill driving the muscles. Improve your skill and you will improve your running.
If you go out too hard then you will slow, there's no way around it.