Listen "Mile 7: Racing"
Episode Synopsis
Mile 7: Racing – When Winning Isn’t the Point
What if the race wasn’t about proving something—but about remembering who you are?
In this episode, we unpack the paradoxes of performance: where full effort doesn’t guarantee outcome, where control dissolves on race day, and where identity can become entangled with a single finish time.
Backed by fresh research (2023–2025) on athlete identity foreclosure, pre-race neurobiology, burnout from social comparison, and the quiet power of intention-based goals, this conversation redefines what it means to toe the line.
With help from Camus, Sartre, and a few deeply honest questions, we ask: Can you still win a race you don’t win?
New Evidence Used
•Zhou, L., Tan, Y., & West, A. (2024). Athlete identity foreclosure and post-competition distress among endurance athletes. Journal of Sport and Identity Psychology, 18(1), 12–27.
•Jensen, M., Patel, R., & Han, J. (2025). Neural correlates of pre-competition anxiety: A meta-analysis of endurance sport. Neurosport Reviews, 42(2), 78–102.
•Fernandez, I., Broekman, A., & Kim, S. (2023). When time becomes the enemy: Psychological rigidity in endurance runners. European Journal of Endurance Psychology, 15(3), 198–214.
•Wang, T., Roberts, C., & Lim, S. (2023). Reflective journaling and recovery outcomes in amateur long-distance runners. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 63, 102340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102340
•Kravitz, D., & Wu, Y. (2025). Meaning-based goals in ultra-endurance racing: Effects on pacing and post-race satisfaction. Journal of Applied Ultra-Endurance Research, 7(1), 41–55.
•Smith, K. J., & Delgado, M. (2023). Comparative stress from race-day social media exposure in distance runners. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 54(1), 67–82.
What if the race wasn’t about proving something—but about remembering who you are?
In this episode, we unpack the paradoxes of performance: where full effort doesn’t guarantee outcome, where control dissolves on race day, and where identity can become entangled with a single finish time.
Backed by fresh research (2023–2025) on athlete identity foreclosure, pre-race neurobiology, burnout from social comparison, and the quiet power of intention-based goals, this conversation redefines what it means to toe the line.
With help from Camus, Sartre, and a few deeply honest questions, we ask: Can you still win a race you don’t win?
New Evidence Used
•Zhou, L., Tan, Y., & West, A. (2024). Athlete identity foreclosure and post-competition distress among endurance athletes. Journal of Sport and Identity Psychology, 18(1), 12–27.
•Jensen, M., Patel, R., & Han, J. (2025). Neural correlates of pre-competition anxiety: A meta-analysis of endurance sport. Neurosport Reviews, 42(2), 78–102.
•Fernandez, I., Broekman, A., & Kim, S. (2023). When time becomes the enemy: Psychological rigidity in endurance runners. European Journal of Endurance Psychology, 15(3), 198–214.
•Wang, T., Roberts, C., & Lim, S. (2023). Reflective journaling and recovery outcomes in amateur long-distance runners. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 63, 102340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102340
•Kravitz, D., & Wu, Y. (2025). Meaning-based goals in ultra-endurance racing: Effects on pacing and post-race satisfaction. Journal of Applied Ultra-Endurance Research, 7(1), 41–55.
•Smith, K. J., & Delgado, M. (2023). Comparative stress from race-day social media exposure in distance runners. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 54(1), 67–82.
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