What if one of the most important parts of your ultramarathon training isn't another long run, hill workout, or strength session? What if it's training your mind? In this episode of Run the Riot, I sit down with ultrarunner, clinical hypnotherapist, mindset coach, and NLP practitioner Holly Grahn, founder of Hypno Gold. Holly recently completed her first 200-mile race at the Divide 200, and we dig into what it took to prepare for that kind of challenge—not only physically, but mentally. Holly shares how she used visualization, mental rehearsal, positive reframing, gratitude, and self-hypnosis before the race so that when things got difficult, her mind was already trained to look for a way forward. And things definitely got difficult. We talk about sore feet, massive climbs, long stretches between aid stations, pouring rain, hallucinating a monkey wearing sunglasses, catching her boyfriend Rob around mile 100, and ultimately finishing their first 200 miler together. But this conversation goes much deeper than racing. Holly explains how the beliefs we carry about ourselves can affect the way we train, race, work, and live. We talk about self-doubt, fear, anxiety, feeling like we're "not good enough," and why simply telling yourself to be positive isn't always enough. Holly also explains what hypnotherapy actually is—and what it isn't—and how she works with athletes and other high performers to identify thought patterns that may be holding them back. We talk about: • Holly's journey from a shy kid who struggled with self-esteem to ultrarunner and hypnotherapist • Her early ultramarathons and the lessons she learned the hard way • Preparing physically and mentally for the Divide 200 • Why mental training should happen before race day • Visualization and mental rehearsal for difficult race situations • Turning negative thoughts into useful beliefs • Looking for evidence that supports the person you want to become • Talking to yourself like you would talk to a friend • Gratitude as a tool when an ultra gets difficult • Breaking huge challenges into the next aid station—or even the next step • Learning from DNFs rather than allowing them to define you • Why identity affects behavior • What hypnotherapy actually feels like • The difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy • Self-doubt, anxiety, fear, sleep, procrastination, and self-sabotage • The Hypno Gold app Holly created for athletes and high performers • Why there may be much more inside you than you've discovered yet One practical takeaway from Holly that I really liked: write down a negative belief you're carrying, rewrite it into something that moves you toward your goal, and then start looking for actual evidence that supports the new belief. Training the body matters. But when you've been moving for days, you're exhausted, your feet hurt, and everything inside you is telling you to stop, your mind becomes part of the equipment you're carrying. ### Connect with Holly Grahn **Hypno Gold:** https://www.hypnogold.com/ **Hypno Gold App:** https://hypnogold.passion.io/ **Instagram:** @hypno_gold_app **Facebook:** Hypno Gold **Schedule a session with Holly:** https://schedulewithhypnoholly.as.me/ **Email:** info@hypnogold.com Holly's Hypno Gold app includes sessions covering areas such as performance, mindset, sleep, anxiety, procrastination, self-sabotage, emotional healing, and personal growth. She created it to make hypnotherapy more accessible for athletes and high performers. ### Run the Riot If you're working toward your first or furthest ultramarathon and want someone in your corner helping you build the training, strategy, and confidence to get there, learn more about Run the Riot Coaching: https://runtheriot.run/ Mine Your Potential.
