Most elite athletes grapple with self-doubt, high expectations, and setbacks, but at just 18 years old, Joe Scanes has successfully defended his national titles, dropped a blistering 8:09.21 3000m PB, and recently won the U18 European Championships. In this episode of The Mindsight Podcast, we sit down with Joe to unpack the elite mental resilience and tactical race IQ that are fuelling his rapid rise to the top of British athletics. Joe opens up about his intense training routines, the reality of balancing speed and endurance, and how a deep focus on consistency and patience accelerates long-term success. What We Unpack in This Episode: The "Slapped by Reality" Comeback: How to mentally process a bad race, take absolute accountability, and turn it into a gold medal. Race IQ & The Art of the Audible: The strategic approach to racing that beats pure raw talent, and what to do when your race plan dies and you have to dictate the pace from the front. The Discipline of "Chipping Away": Why Joe ignores the pressure for massive overnight breakthroughs, choosing instead to trust the compounding interest of consistent, daily work. Mastering the Mindset: Actionable insights on developing a winning mentality, active race visualization, and managing the intense pressure of racing Europe's best. The Unseen Work: A look inside the elite training routines that balance heavy aerobic endurance with lethal track speed and injury prevention. Chapters ⏱️ Intro: Joe Scanes on mindset, racing and growth — 0:00 Qualifying for Great Britain — 1:13 Confidence, pressure and trusting the training — 2:20 Injury setbacks, mileage and strength work — 5:45 How Joe got into running — 9:40 Coaches, belief and building resilience — 11:45 School, routine and balancing life with training — 15:15 Race tactics, instinct and the mental edge — 19:10 Learning from mistakes and becoming more aggressive — 22:00 Pre-race rituals, patience and long-term progress — 26:45 Weekly training, best race so far and self-belief — 29:25 Big goals, injury perspective and advice for young athletes — 33:05 Quick-fire questions and final thoughts — 37:35 Connect on Instagram: Joe: @joescanes Anghelo: @anghelogeorge Podcast: @mindsightpod Until next week—stay focused, train hard, and I'll see you at the top. 🚀