Harvey Lewis: The Power of Mindset

Photo Credit: Mike Trimpe

Talking to Harvey Lewis made me realize, once again, that some runners are just a different species.

I think I know what “hard” is until I hear someone casually talk about running for days through mud, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, freezing rain, and exhaustion like it’s just another weekend adventure. Meanwhile, I’m having a personal crisis because it’s raining again and I don’t want to get wet walking to my car.

Harvey has this calm, grounded way of talking about suffering that almost makes you rethink discomfort entirely. I found myself wishing he could narrate all my runs.

Instead of fighting hard moments, he seems to expect them, welcome them, and adapt to them. (learn more about this approach in our episode with Dr. Greene about mind chatter!)

Harvey talked about resilience being something you practice, not something you magically wake up with one day. It’s an important reminder because I think all of us sometimes believe other people are just mentally stronger. But mindset is something you train, and I find it’s the hardest thing to whip into shape these days.

One of the tools Harvey uses is his “why,” which is such a loaded topic in my opinion. I mean, the why of running is literally why I started this show, and it’s something I personally have a hard time articulating. It just feels like such a huge question.

But of course, Harvey simplified it for me. He said almost every race has its own purpose or meaning behind it. So it doesn’t have to be this overwhelming life question. Sometimes it’s just about figuring out why this one matters right now.

Whether your goal is a marathon, healing mentally, rebuilding confidence, or just trying to get through a hard season of life, your reason matters when motivation disappears.

During this conversation, Harvey shared stories about races where things didn’t go according to plan, where overconfidence or difficult conditions caught up to him, but he never framed those experiences as disasters. He talked about them as lessons, opportunities to grow, and chances to come back smarter. I think that perspective is so powerful because runners can be incredibly hard on themselves when training or races don’t go perfectly.

Harvey’s approach to challenges felt less about toughness in the traditional sense and more about acceptance, flexibility, purpose, and staying connected to joy even when things get hard.

I hope this conversation reminds you that growth usually lives on the other side of discomfort, but the way we move through discomfort matters too.

Harvey Lewis is an American ultrarunner, high school teacher, and endurance athlete from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for winning the 2023 Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championship after running 450 miles over 108 hours, setting an American backyard ultra record in 2025 with 462.5 miles, and winning the Badwater 135 ultramarathon twice. Harvey has also competed in the Barkley Marathons, represented Team USA in 24-hour world championship events, and recently completed his 100th marathon.