By: Maddelynn Horn

Mental health is rapidly growing in importance in the athletic world. It’s been slowly rising in popularity for years, but recently decisions by pro athletes have pushed mental health to the forefront.

More athletes are now openly putting their mental health first

Athletes--pro or not--are placed under a lot of pressure. When tennis champion Naomi Osaka chose to miss French Open press conferences to take care of her mental health, she faced a lot of backlash and was even fined $15,000. In a Time Opinion piece, Osaka wrote “There can be moments for any of us where we are dealing with issues behind the scenes.” Whether it’s pressure from competing or simply personal life events, athletes should be allowed to prioritize themselves before their sport.

Similarly, gymnast Simone Biles chose to take a step back at the 2020 Olympics. Biles cited mental health as her reason to sit out, but through this, she protected her physical health as well. Serious injuries can occur (and have) when gymnasts aren’t in the right headspace. Ultrarunners might not face the same injury risks, but this still provides a valuable lesson about prioritizing mental health. Olympian Michael Phelps has also been open about his struggles with anxiety and depression. Phelps supported Biles’ decision to put her mental health first saying “We're human beings. Nobody is perfect. So yes, it is okay to not be okay.”

These athletes aren’t just fighting to be able to step back when needed. They want mental health and physical health to be treated as equally important. “What if athletes and coaches were trained to look for depression just as vigilantly as they’d be watching for a hamstring pull?” Alexi Pappas suggests in her NYT opinion.

Tying it all together

So how does this impact athletes who aren’t pros? If you read my blog post on post-race blues, you already know that mental health and running overlap. Regardless of athletic status, Mental health plays a huge role in overall wellbeing and athletic performance.

The pain isn’t limited to your mind. In the short term, depression and chronic stress can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension and soreness, pain, fatigue, and more. In the long term, People living with serious mental illnesses are at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and more. Clearly, mental health is intertwined with physical health. Mental illnesses won’t make us feel good, and they won’t help our running either.

While running has many mental benefits, you can’t run your way through everything. Running is not therapy and can easily become a method of avoidance, rather than facing your problems head-on. Use running to your advantage, but also know that it’s okay to get help.

The Take-Away:

Listen to yourself. If you need to take some time off to take care of yourself, do it. Or, if running is part of your routine that helps you keep your mental health in check, then stay consistent. The big thing is to ask for help when you need it. Neglecting your mental health will have a negative impact on your running. You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to prioritize your health.

Why Mental Health is Important to Ultramarathon Runners