The Winning Athletes

Confessions of a competitive mind.

Richard A. Lovett, Ph.D., and Holly Hight are a coaching/running duo from Portland, Oregon. See full bio

November 6, 2009

Refusing to be Broken

When an athlete is psychologically broken, he or she doesn't simply give up, but actually loses the physical ability to perform. This doesn't have to happen, though. Like so many things that affect performance at work, school, and home, being broken is a state of mind. It's a decision that you, and only you, control. Read More

October 13, 2009

When Racers are Pyschologically "Broken"

Winning a race is more than simply running your best. Sometimes it's also a psychological duel. If you've ever watched Olympic distance races or a major marathon on TV, for example, you'll have seen competitors throwing "surges" at each other, as they pick up the pace in an effort to psyche out their rivals. The goal is to make the other runner feel defeated - "broken" in the parlance of racing. Read More

September 28, 2009

Jumping Off a Cliff

"If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?" It's the type of question parents ask in an effort to get children to think for themselves. Of course, the answer is "no." But what if you're on a team, when everyone expects you - and everyone else - to jump off a cliff together? Read More

August 21, 2009

Giving Chase: Giving Your All

When Holly was in middle school, one of her first races was a 3000-meter cross-country race. At the finish, she was ashen faced, wobbly, starting to see spots around the edges of her vision, with an odd, muffled sense to her hearing. She'd basically run herself right to the edge of collapse. Why? Read More

June 11, 2009

Fear of Success

In any sport, there are athletes who never live up to their potential. Sometimes it's because of injuries. Sometimes, people just aren't really motivated. They're going through the motions, but not really putting in the training, practice, or hard emotional and physical work of preparing themselves for peak performance. Read More

Books by Richard A. Lovett, Ph.D., and Holly Hight

Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing : Championship Advice for Faster Times from 5K to Marathons

The Essential Touring Cyclist: A Complete Guide for the Bicycle Traveler, Second Edition

Sport and Competition Basics

From schoolyard chants to Super Bowl championships, playful competition finds its way into nearly all aspects of culture. Fighting to win draws on cooperation, concentration, coordination, and creativity--things worth striving for in their own right. That's why sports are more than just fun and games.

Go to the Sport and Competition Basics page for more on Sport and Competition including:

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