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… 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’ll also share a little about the support we need to give ourselves.   Questions Michael is asked: 3:57 What do you do at RunnersConnect? 5:16  What 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’t able to go for a run? 32:15 Why is the ‘comparison trap’ 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’s on tap for you now that you’re on hiatus from running? Quotes by Michael: “I think you should really be running for your own reasons and for yourself.” “A huge part of staying positive is putting things in perspective from a LIFE standpoint, not just a running standpoint.” “Injuries will show you what your real priorities are.” “I think it’s best for 99% of runners to completely ignore professional runners.” “Some 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.” “If you’re 50 years old, you can’t compare yourself to when you were 25; it’s not fair to yourself.”   We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. If more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, it means I can reach out to and get through to the top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!