For years I had assumed that my failure to run better was down to a combination of injuries and not training hard enough; but I started to wonder if it was my own self-image that was holding me back. If making a presentation could create such a strong physical reaction, then surely the prospect of winning a big race could cause a reaction that was strong enough to make sure I didn’t win. Perhaps ‘running quite well but not winning’ was exactly what my subconscious self-image thought I should be doing.
