Imagine what it takes to win a race, especially at the professional or Olympic level. Imagine the level of mental toughness that is required while running to push your body to new levels of extreme exertion while you train. Then imagine a pandemic who leaves athletes wondering how to train and when their next event will be held. This is what sports psychologists help athletes deal with. The U.S. Sports Psychologist for the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Sean McCann, through Runners World Magazine, offers athletes some sound advice and tips, based on his many years of experience. Check them out below. Mental Health Tips All Runners Can Use Right Now These tips from the U.S. Olympic sports psychologist can be applied to runners at every level. BY TAYLOR DUTCH APR 9, 2020 Despite the stress and uncertainty that is affecting every runner navigating the coronavirus response—including tracks and parks limiting access, race cancellations, and stay-at-home orders—there are several mental strategies and coping mechanisms that can help. 3 Simple Mental Strength Strategies for Success Sean McCann, senior sports psychologist for the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), is on the frontlines when it comes to providing support for athletes’ mental health. For weeks, Olympic hopefuls were faced with a looming question: How would they train safely and compete at the Games during a pandemic? When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the Tokyo Games would be postponed to 2021, many U.S. athletes felt relief in response to the decision, even if their Olympic dreams would be put on hold. By virtual means, McCann and the USOPC team have taken a purposeful approach to assisting athletes and coaches through the changes. “It’s about effectively coping with what we’ve got, just starting to sort of mentally and physically cross-train, and make sure that we are as healthy as we can be right now,” McCann said. Read more