The God Dimension

Athletes Are Turning to Meditation and Mindfulness for a Performance Boost. But Neuroscience Shows That It’s the True Believers Who Are Finding That Higher Gear Through Prayer.

- Brandon Sneed

BEFORE THE SIDE cramp hit and he started to panic, Ryan Hall felt like he was running better than he ever had in his life. It was mile ten of the 2007 Houston half marathon, and he was in first place, averaging 4:30 per mile.

Hall didn’t typically suffer from cramps, so when he felt one coming on, he ignored it and kept pushing. But the discomfort persisted, then got worse. Panic took hold.

So Hall prayed. He was direct: Lord, please help me get to the finish line without my stomach blowing up. He focused and repeated it again to himself. A minute later the pain was gone, and Hall went on to win the race in 59:43, a North American record and at the time the fastest half marathon ever run by a non-African. Remembering that day and the pain he experienced, Hall says, “There’s definitely power in prayer.”

Of course, for Hall to point to prayer as a performance enhancer isn’t exactly surprising—he’s known as much for his Christian faith as for being one of America’s most gifted distance runners. And anyone familiar with professional sports has witnessed the pregame bowing of heads and postgame shout-outs to God. Skeptics might dismiss it as religious posturing, but science is revealing that prayer works. When believers pray, something happens in their brains that actually makes them better athletes.