The American mountain athlete shares her tips for finding joy in the grind. Plus share how you guard your psyche and get entered to win a free pair of shoes!
After suffering what could have been a career-ending fall at the Tromso Skyrace in 2017, she battled back from physical and mental injuries to be a stand-out in the mountain running world. Hillary, also known as Hilly Goat, has the highest finish of any American athlete at the infamous TDS race by UTMB, the gnarliest of races around Mont Blanc that’s 95 miles of the most technical and challenging terrain the Alps offer. Recently, she has become known for strong performances in the world of gravel bike racing with a top ten finish at the Stetina PayDirt Gravel race and a 21st-place finish at the Unbound Gravel 200.
Hillary, who runs for Brooks, is known for her curiosity and resilience in the face of adversity. So how does she cultivate a mindset that enables her to embrace setbacks while still competing at the top of the sport? We dive deep into Hillary’s mindset in the interview and video below, where she shares her strategies for staying positive, embracing setbacks, and finding happiness in the grind.
Whether you’re facing your own challenges on the trail or in life, Hillary’s insights can inspire you to keep moving forward. We invite you to share your own tips on guarding your psyche in the comments section. Plus, by joining the conversation, you’ll have a chance to win a free pair of Brooks Cascadias!
Hillary Allen: I smile! or I meet up with friends to have a chat, or plan a coffee date after 🙂
Hillary Allen: For me all of the races that I choose scare me—this plays to my competitive side, to challenge myself. But I know that for every big race I have to put in some big training and that plays into the happiness factor—I plan big adventures or trips with the goal of training and this brings me a lot of joy while I’m putting in the big weeks.
Hillary Allen: If I’m having a hard time enjoying it, I tell myself to stay curious and I focus on a certain sense and try to engage with that. I also tell myself that every day isn’t supposed to be easy, and if I’m having tough days, then I’m doing it right. I also relieve the pressure—I tell myself to go out and try (just start the workout, start the long run, etc) and then I can see how I feel. Training isn’t about nailing every workout 100%; there’s a lot that can happen even if you nail 80-90%.
Hillary Allen: My friends and my team. I know a lot of people in the trail running world and community I truly appreciate and love every single one of them—and I’m also a very private person. I have a very small group of close friends—we share miles together and workouts, we help motivate each other when things are super hard. But for these people getting together for a run is secondary, it’s more of a chance to talk or even be silent and share the miles together. I started a group chat called “the Boulder Babes,” and I put in my workouts there each week. Everyone meets up for what they can do for the week. These people help me so much during rough moments in life and training.
My team is also important. My coach gives me perspective outside of running (even when he’s trying to kill me in workouts!). My family, who love me regardless of a race result and support me endlessly, and my Brooks teammates, who share training camps where running is the focus, but really, it’s about bonding with each other and forming memories together.
Hillary Allen: I guard the psyche by making sure I enjoy the process and the day-to-day. I view each day as an opportunity to get the most out of myself. I’m a process-driven athlete and not an outcome-driven athlete. I also mix it up and try to be a well-rounded athlete—incorporating different sports into my routine. I also focus on my identity of self outside of sport and running.
Hillary Allen: I write in my journal a lot. It’s a daily practice for me—checking in on how I feel. I am also an introvert and need a lot of time alone to recharge, so I make sure I prioritize these moments daily, usually by doing something non-sport or competition-related.
Hillary Allen: There’s actual science behind it. Smiling to lift your mood is a real thing! I think people dismiss people who are ‘running happy’ as not serious or too carefree—but life is too short to take things too seriously and not to have fun or enjoy what you’re doing. I think running happy ultimately means finding joy in the process of doing really hard things.
How do you guard your psyche? Share with us in the comments section and you’ll be one of a few lucky runners to win a free pair of Brooks Cascadia’s.
I choose not to focus on what I cannot control. I choose to remember event plus response equals outcome and then I go volunteer helping runners during night time hours at an ultra.
On the days when I can’t be on the trails I just imagine them. I imagine the sun shining through the trees and the dirt inclining in front of me- that brings my smile, and makes me climb, makes me lift up straighter. Then I dance and no longer feel the damaging past my body and mind have endured.
I talk to myself while running about stuff that I see on the road and trails. It helps me to relax and feel calm.
I protect my spirit while running. Last year I lost something that was completely out of My control I didn’t know how to come back from a loss that felt like robbery. I got cleared to run again and I ran and I ran. It hurt, it was terrible, it took forever at times to just run the mile but it got done. Before I used to say it’s okay I’ll get that workout or run in later. It wasn’t until I decided that my spirit needed to be guarded and protected that I found a joy indescribably beautiful. I found a part of me that not only enjoyed being around but that also loved me back. Finding space in the middle of nowhere listening to my breathing all while running to take care of myself now that’s how I protect my psyche… life is here breath it in and take care of you in each moment that you can.
It depends sometimes just zoning out and focusing on your next step is the way to protect the psyche other times it’s the why?
Why am here? Why did I sign up for this? Why am I not in bed enjoying my “day off”? The why could be family, changing your situation physically mentally and emotionally, pushing your limits to not be ordinary, but at the end of the day out there it’s just you vs you there’s no room for weakness so that’s why we just keep moving forward
I’m not the fastest, but I have been called the happiest runner on the race course.
I try to keep a smile on my face when I’m running, especially during a race – because it does make me feel better physically, and it seems to affect the mood of the people around me.
It’s not fake or forced. I’m usually pretty happy to be running, but there are mental cues I reference when the going gets tough: I *get* to run this, it’s a privilege. I worked hard to get here and this is my celebration, my victory lap. Sometimes just a simple reminder that what I’m doing *right now* is beyond the wildest dreams I had 10 years ago is enough to put a bounce in my step and a sparkle in my eye.
I guard my psyche in many ways. Surrounding myself with good people is one way and making sure I’m supporting them just as much as they support me. Remembering my ‘why(s)’ is another way. Keeping the perspective, letting myself feel my feelings, and remembering to have gratitude. I also rely heavily on the Navajo teachings of why we run. We run to heal, pray, celebrate, and learn.