Ever stood at a start line looking around thinking "I don't belong here"? That's imposter syndrome talking. It's that nagging feeling that you're somehow faking it among "real athletes," despite completing the same events. Maybe you feel too slow, too old, too heavy, or just that you do not match the perceived 'athlete image' portrayed on social media.
Whilst not exclusively a female issue, statistically women tend to under-estimate their level and capability as athletes.
We all get pre-race butterflies, but this goes deeper. It's that knot in your stomach telling you everyone else belongs there except you. I've seen so many athletes sabotage themselves by sprinting off the start line trying to "prove" they deserve to be there. By mile 30 of an ultra or hour 3 of a long ride, they're bonking when a more measured approach would have served them better. Tragically I know people who simply won't even enter a race because they don't feel 'ready,' 'good enough' or 'fit enough,' often despite good evidence to the contrary.
Imposter syndrome can filter into your training making you push through fatigue on days when you should be recovering. While others take their recovery seriously, you're out there grinding it out because you're convinced you need to work harder to compensate. This approach can also sabotage your goals by increasing your injury risk and actually makes your performance worse through accumulated fatigue. This then becomes the self-fulfilling prophecy for your original doubts of 'I'm not good enough.'
With apps like Strava and everyone posting what they have done on various social media channels it can be very easy to start comparing yourself to others. Seeing others' mileage and epic adventures can make you feel like you're not doing enough. But here's the thing I tell everyone I work with: training response is incredibly individual; what works for your training partner might be completely wrong for you.
Are you a bit of a perfectionist? Ambitious and competitive? These Type A personality traits make you great at endurance sports, but they're also the perfect breeding ground for imposter syndrome. The same qualities that get you out of bed for a 5am training session can make you unreasonably hard on yourself, always seeking to be better and never being satisfied with what you have done. This is the perfect breeding ground for under-recovery and over-training.
Instead of thinking "I need to prove I belong here," try asking yourself "I wonder what my body can do today?" This shift from proving to exploring takes enormous pressure off. I've seen this simple mindset shift transform athletes' experiences and performances. Curiosity opens doors that pressure slams shut.
The healthiest athletes I coach can both race their hearts out AND genuinely celebrate others' successes. This balance helps neutralize those toxic comparisons. Push your limits, absolutely, but remember that someone else crushing it doesn't diminish your journey. Their success isn't your failure.
Not just your miles and watts – record how you felt, challenges you overcame, and moments of strength. This creates evidence to counter those "I don't belong" feelings. When confidence dips (and it will), flip back through your journal to remind yourself of what you've actually accomplished.
Our traffic light system can add some context to your training, daily metrics and performance which help both inform training and provide insight.
Nothing dismantles imposter syndrome faster than welcoming and supporting others. If you feel brave enough you can share your own experiences, either way affirming others' right to be there can help you externalize your experience, making it harder to discount your own belonging. In addition, seeing yourself through a newcomer's appreciative eyes often reveals how far you've truly come.
Connect with fellow athletes of all levels. In my experience, authentic conversations reveal that even those "real athletes" you're intimidated by harbor similar doubts. These connections normalize the challenges we all face and provide support when things get tough (and in ultra endurance they always get tough at some point!).
Women in particular seem to be victim to some of the traits of imposter syndrome. For example most women triathletes when asked to assess their level of sporting ability will describe themselves as 'intermediate' in comparison to their male counterparts who (statistically) are more likely to describe themselves as 'elite' or 'advanced.'
Women's endurance cycling and running is expanding and it's an exciting time, but there are still certain subtle messages which put the women's category at a lower level. Here are some examples:
History: Perhaps not so historically as we would like women were not even allowed to participate in certain sports; they have had to fight for their space (e.g. Katherine Switzer who in 1967 was physically manhandled by the (male!) race director who tried to pull her off the Boston Marathon course). When Kathryn Bertine tried to establish a women's tour de France just 12 years ago she was told that no one would want to watch a woman's race, it would take too long and women were not capable of the same distances as men (see her book 'Stand').
Limited coverage of women's cycling: Thanks to the continued efforts of women like Kathryn Bertin and the sponsorhip of Zwift the Tour de France Femmes is a fixture in the women's cycling calendar. However, the media and televised coverage is far less for the shorter race with shorter distances per stage. A similar disparity exists with women's downhill mountain biking where the coverage is much reduced. Less coverage means sponsors are less interested, less sponsorship means less access for women to the sports they love at a high level. If the next generation of female athletes cannot watch and be inspired by the role models of this generation how will they even know what they are capable of?
Lack of sponsorship/poor pay: The economic reality for many athletes trying to make it at a professional level is tough. Women in particular in professional endurance sports can receive significantly lower appearance fees and prize money. Low income or 'shaky' contracts force athletes to juggle jobs while trying to train at elite levels, compromising both the quality of training and their performances. This can be another of those self-fulfilling prophecies - people don't invest in an athlete because they don't seem to be performing; the athlete has to work and train so they don't perform as well so they don't get a good (if any) sponsorship deal/contract with a team.
Coaching: this is still a male dominated profession in endurance cycling and running. In the past this meant that training programs for women were watered-down men's programs rather than female-specific approaches. Whilst this is changing with the help of work by people such as Dr. Stacy Sims' the research is still generally based on young (collegiate) males, leaving gaps in our understanding of how to get the best out of the women we coach. If we cannot across the board design training which allows female athletes to thrive they will invariably feel like they are failing and doubt their ability.
Watch the Women! Go to events, watch televised women's events, follow the coverage even if it takes a bit more effort at the moment. Share it on social media. Numbers matter to sponsors and organizers—your attention is a vote for equality. When women's events get viewership, they get investment.
Actively highlight athletes who don't fit conventional molds but are doing amazing things. Older athletes, ethnically diverse participants, transgender and non-binary competitors – they all belong in our collective image of what an "endurance athlete" looks like. The more varied that image becomes, the less power imposter syndrome holds.
Talk to your local race directors about equal prize purses and inclusive categories. These conversations might feel uncomfortable, but even small local changes contribute to shifting who belongs in endurance sports. Be that voice.
Join or create training groups that explicitly welcome everyone. These communities challenge exclusionary aspects of endurance culture and provide safe spaces for developing athletes to grow without judgment.
The journey through imposter syndrome in ultra endurance sports is both deeply personal and inherently communal. By addressing your own internal dialogue while contributing to more inclusive sport cultures, you're not just improving your own experience – you're helping build a community where future athletes can thrive with fewer of the doubts that might have held you back.