The Competitive Edge

by Rich Elliott

The Competitive Edge explores the psychological factors that influence a distance runner's performance. The book is intended to help competitive runners get a handle on the 'inner game' of their sport and maximize their running potential. It covers such topics the challenges posed by the psychological aspects of distance racing the use of relaxation techniques to calm the body the use of mental rehearsal to visualize and prepare for races the care and feeding of a runner's 'emotional battery' a discussion with top runners about the psychology of racing the formulation of a mental training program

193 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

RICH ELLIOTT grew up in Westchester, Illinois, and attended the University of Kansas and later, Northwestern University. He and his wife Aileen currently live in Valparaiso, Indiana. They have three children. Elliott has worked as a high school English teacher and track coach and as an editor in educational publishing. He is the author of two previous books—The Competitive Edge: Mental Preparation for Distance Running (1984); and Runners on Running: The Best Nonfiction of Distance Running (2010), which won the Cordner Nelson Book Award, given by the Track and Field Writers of America. His first book of fiction, Duck and Cover: Eleven Short Stories, will come out in October, 2018.