177. Eva-Maria Sperger on the Mental Side of Trail Racing

<p>Psychologist and elite trail runner <strong>Eva-Maria Sperger</strong> joins host <strong>Francesco Puppi</strong> for a candid conversation about the mental side of performance—self-compassion, motivation, and racing with vulnerability—just ahead of the World Championships in Canfranc-Pirineos. </p><p>Eva explains why naming emotions builds real toughness, how to balance “listen to your feelings” with “do the opposite,” and a simple model to unlock motivation: autonomy, confidence, and belonging. They also unpack the difference between working with a sport psychologist vs. a mental coach, why athletes over-do volume to calm anxiety, and how to make better decisions when pain or fear show up.</p><p>If you’ve ever wondered “Do I even belong here?” this one will feel like a deep breath and a plan.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>What you’ll learn</strong></p><p><br /></p><ul><li><p>How self-compassion becomes a performance skill (not fluff)</p></li><li><p>A practical way to handle negative thoughts without obeying them</p></li><li><p>Autonomy–confidence–belonging: a simple framework to rekindle motivation</p></li><li><p>When to choose a sport psychologist vs. a mental coach (and why)</p><p>Process &gt; outcome: redefining “success” before your next start line</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>-----------</p></li></ul><p>Want to try VertPro?</p><p>Use code <strong>RUNNINGLONG30</strong> for 30% off your first month of Vert.run training.</p><p><br /></p><p>👉 Follow <strong>@vert.run</strong></p><p>👉 <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vert-trail-ultra-coaching/id1560376613" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Download the app</a> and sign up at vert.run</p><p><br /></p><p>Francesco’s links: </p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/francesco.puppi/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.twitter.com/fra_puppinho" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.strava.com/pros/11943431" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Strava</a> | <a href="https://francescopuppi.it" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Website</a></p>