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’m so excited about how I could win a brand spanking new pair of Brooks Cascadia 18s. I dun ran my other ones to the ground!
As a new mom, I am learning to say yes to less and really evaluate what needs done right now and what can wait to guard my energy enabling me to dedicate more of my time and attention to the people and tasks that matter most.
Being brand new to intentionally putting in more distance, I guard my psyche by attempting to be well rounded. My faith life is crucial, my participation as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous is crucial, being an active participant in Muay Thai training and taking a more serious approach to my sleep and nutrition, are all parts of what keep me going as healthy as possible. Cheers.
I’ve been running about a year and a half, including a near-three-month break due to a tendon injury (too much too soon). And I’m 61, overweight, etc. So I don’t do ultras; I am a half-marathoner and I like that distance. My biggest challenge is getting out the door. But once I’m on the trails, I love every minute of it, even the hard parts. To get out the door I try to envision the terrain and what it’s going to be like “out there.” I struggle with feeling down about how slow I am (I’ve never been fast at anything) so I really need to tell myself that being out there and doing it is the important part and if I’m slow that just means I get to enjoy the trails that much longer that the faster runners!
I focus on doing what brings me joy, not what I think I should do based on what others think! I used to get caught up in what everyone else was doing and now it is 100% all about me now. I’m so thankful in this mindset shift! It is helpful to remind myself that I am doing this because I want to and I’m excited for this workout, run, hike, etc and if I don’t want to do it, I won’t! Life is too short to do things that don’t make you happy!
Reading and running have really helped guard my psych!! Also little tricks like getting a haircut or something to feel better about your looks has helped me immensely. Also quitting nicotine has significantly cut down on my stress.
Being a student with a somewhat hectic schedule, I’ve found that finding time to move my body and get out in some nature everyday is mandatory for my success in academics, as well as in my personal life. For me, that’s utilizing early mornings to get a sunrise run in before the day begins. While somedays it might just be a 5k and that’s all I can do (there was a time when that was literally all I could do), while other days the trails are too captivating to turn around so we go longer. The trails never fail to put be back in reality and away from the anxiety of the to-do lists. No matter how filled our calendars or to-do lists are, in order for us to be successful, taking time to focus on ourself for however long that might be is essential. It not only will help us in our progress on the trails, but also off the trails.
I’m about a week out from my first 50k and training has been tough for me. One thing that has kept me going is training with my wife by my side. We are both first timers and going through the process together has be super helpful. When we struggle, we support each other. Bringing a smile to the last 5 miles of my long runs has been a secret aid in pushing through. This was a great article!
Living in the city can feel like you’re trapped or suffocating. Especially when you grew up with 100 acres as a kid. I find my psyche at it’s best when I can lace up my shoes or clip into my bike out on the trails. I see a sunrise or mountain peaks, I say out loud, “wow” and I know I’m in my happy place.
I guard my psyche by attending therapy, talking with friends and family; if I am in a race I try to remind myself of the work I’ve put in with my coach, talk with fellow runners and smile, try to help fellow runners if possible, ask if they need anything. And tell myself I don’t stop when I am tired, I stop when I am done.–I forget whose quote it is, but I love it!