Welcome to Psychologist on the Run! This blog focuses on running and some of the psychological aspects of running, such as motivation and the role of thinking processes. It has grown out of my professional training as a clinical psychologist and my attempts in later life to become a marathon runner.
I am in no way an expert in sports psychology, personal training, nutrition or physiology – so, if you intend to undertake some serious training and you are not used to it, please seek medical advice! End of disclaimer.
However, most of my professional life has been focused on helping people to understand themselves better, and to improve their motivation, self-confidence and self-esteem. This has mostly been through the application of the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) where unhelpful patterns of behaving and thinking are identified and challenged. These principles can be applied in many areas of life – imagine the tangled thinking you might go through when deciding to run or stay in bed on a cold and wet day!
Elite athletes and experienced runners will probably not learn anything new here, but you will hopefully be able to relate to some of the experiences I describe. I hope that if you are new to running, especially later in life, you will find some useful information that will help you on your way.
We run to escape, we run to embrace, and we run in the moment. Hindsight, foresight and insight. These are the themes we will explore.
Run free. And enjoy.
Derek
Psychologist on the Move 