Ep 71: Confidence in Distance Running — How it’s built and how it’s lost

Why do two runners with identical splits show up to the same start line — one believing, one already beaten? That’s confidence, and it might be the most underrated weapon in distance running.

In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Fiorentino of Baldwin Wallace Cross Country and Track and Field dig into how confidence actually works: how it’s built one honest workout at a time, and how quickly it slips away after a bad race, an injury, or one too many glances at the competition.

You’ll hear the “deposits” model of belief, why a single rough workout can haunt a runner for weeks, how to escape the comparison trap, and the concrete first moves for rebuilding confidence when it’s gone — plus what parents should (and shouldn’t) say after a tough race.

For recruits, athletes, parents, and coaches. Relaxed and Fast — let’s get after it.