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Michael Hammond is a graduate of Virginia Tech where he competed in cross country and track, earning two ACC titles and four NCAA All-American honors. His individual efforts led his team to four ACC team championships: one in cross country, two in indoor track, and one in outdoor track.

On this episode, Michael shares his perspective on, well\u2026 perspective.

Most runners are goal-focused, which is understandable considering the time and effort that goes into distance running.

But at what point does this single-mindedness become unhealthy? How can runners strike a balance between their running goals and the rest of the world, especially when blindsided by an illness or injury?

In his role as Director of Coaching for RunnersConnect, Michael has gotten to know every member, their motivations and exactly what support they need to receive from the coaches as well as from each other.

In this episode, he\u2019ll also share a little about the support we need to give ourselves.

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3:57 What do you do at RunnersConnect?

5:16 \xa0What are some of the biggest mistakes runners make when it comes to longevity and mental health in the sport?

8:46 How can overemphasizing one performance be counterproductive?

14:14 How can runners achieve and maintain a positive mindset?

18:55 What other outlets did you have to balance out running?

25:32 How did you cope with injuries and take your mind off running when you weren\u2019t able to go for a run?

32:15 Why is the \u2018comparison trap\u2019 so detrimental for runners?

38:23 What other tips do you have for runners to keep perspective and achieve longevity in the sport?

47:13 What\u2019s on tap for you now that you\u2019re on hiatus from running?

\u201cI think you should really be running for your own reasons and for yourself.\u201d

\u201cA huge part of staying positive is putting things in perspective from a LIFE standpoint, not just a running standpoint.\u201d

\u201cInjuries will show you what your real priorities are.\u201d

\u201cI think it\u2019s best for 99% of runners to completely ignore professional runners.\u201d

\u201cSome of the most proud feelings I ever had were when I was by myself, completely alone, after a great race and I just felt that tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment; that is what you should be training for.\u201d

\u201cIf you\u2019re 50 years old, you can\u2019t compare yourself to when you were 25; it\u2019s not fair to yourself.\u201d

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