Mental Skills That Get You Through the Hard Miles with Sports Psychologist Dr. Duncan Simpson

“You’ve got to have high challenge and high support.” In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Duncan Simpson of Dartmouth’s Teeven Center for Peak Performance to discuss the psychology of pushing yourself to your limits as a runner.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

🔸 Effective strategies to navigate tough moments in a race

🔸 The importance of creating a strong but not singular identity as a runner

🔸 How to create a healthy narrative around your running

🔸Three mindset skills to sharpen in a training cycle

🔸Psychologically healthy vs unhealthy race goals

Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris. Media kit available to interested sponsors upon request.

About our guest:

Duncan Simpson, PhD, director of Dartmouth’s Teevens Center for Peak Performance and Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) has spent his career studying what happens when people are pushed to their limits, and what allows some to keep performing through high-stakes environments. As the former Head of Mental Conditioning at IMG Academy, Duncan has helped professional, international, and NCAA athletes of all ages perform under pressure and sustain elite performance.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:

🎧 The Psychology Behind Peak Running Performance with Dr. Trent Claypool (7 Aug 2026)

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