I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why some athletes can train well but struggle to express it on race day. This conversation with Richy Bennett on the Run Culture Podcast goes deep into that space. Richy hails from Torquay, Victoria and is a highly respected performance psychologist turned mentor. Richy has spent years working with elite performers- Olympic athletes and professional surfers. He brings a grounded understanding of how the mind and body actually work under pressure. No hype. No mental gymnastics. Just awareness, breath, and trust. We talked about performance anxiety and why it’s not something to eliminate, but something to understand. About breathing as a way to settle the nervous system before a race. About how perfectionism can slowly drain the joy and freedom from sport. And about recovery — not just physically, but mentally. One of the big themes was mastery versus control. The idea that great performances aren’t forced — they’re created. And when things don’t go to plan, the best athletes know how to respond without spiralling. This episode is for runners who feel stuck in their heads, who overthink, who want to find a more sustainable way to perform and enjoy their running. It’s a conversation that has stayed with me. Listen on the Run Culture Podcast.

Follow Richy's offerings and work at: www.richybennett.org