How Imagery Coaching Inspired a Group of Non-Runners to Take on an Ultra-Marathon, and find new frontiers
One of the most stressful and challenging activities a human being can elect to participate in is an ultra-marathon. When Jon Rhodes was looking for the ultimate test of imagery coaching, he recruited a group of self-described “non-runners” and asked if they were game to run an ultramarathon. So, how did he find these willing participants? It began with a social media post, “Failing to find the motivation to get healthy? – we can help. Sign up to be part of our innovative study today.”
Half the volunteers received motivational interviewing; the other half received motivational interviewing and FIT. FIT, short for functional imagery training, is a technique refined over twenty years that utilizes internal imagery to impact human behavior positively. Its effectiveness has been tested in health, sport, exercise, and diet. With FIT, you are over four times more likely to achieve your goal than being left to your own strategies.
In the study Jon aptly called “From Couch to Ultramarathon,” the FIT participants were 5.25 times more likely to finish the 50+ kilometer endurance event. The results made headlines in Psychology Today, Style Magazine, Men’s Health, Science Daily, Technology News, and countless other publications. Psychology Today reported the results as “motivational rocket fuel” (Psychology Today, 2021).
Here’s an exclusive look at this group of “non-runners” a year later:
For those 4 in the control group who started the ultra-marathon, those who discussed mental skill strategies but were not taught FIT continued to run weekly to remain healthy, with one person in the group successfully completing a marathon.
The 6 in the FIT group who started the ultra-marathon are all still exercising weekly, with 5/6 going on to run at least one additional ultra-marathon in 2021.
We asked all participants to comment on anything they felt relevant beyond the research, with both groups saying similar things, including better work-life balance and better health. However, there was one strange difference in the FIT group.
67% of the FIT group (yes, 4 people) are planning (or have) changed their career. One participant said, “finding time to go running and allowing my mind to wander in a controlled way has helped me find clarity with my purpose and future direction. Before, I was stuck, and I think it’s a belief thing. Now I have a greater belief in my ability: mentally and physically.”
This is a small sample with big ideas, and this is just a single project within the growing FIT literature. If you want to receive FIT or complete our online training courses, please contact us; we will gladly share more information.