HSBC Triathlon Series

Mental Preparation - by Deborah Moore

Many people talk about the 4th discipline of triathlon. Some say it’s the transition, some look at nutrition, but there’s another element to training and racing for this sport that is crucial to your success – mental strength and focus. This is often where the top age groupers and pros excel, but you can also benefit from mental preparation.

Re-examine your goals
Remember those goals that you set out in your off-season? Now is the time to revisit them again, just to make sure you know what you are aiming for. It will help you to keep your focus on your destination.

Set out your race plan
In order to arrive at your destination, you need a route and a plan. Hopefully you or your coach will have determined your race plan leading up to the big day – refer to this plan in the couple of weeks leading up to your race. You should write down how you see your race unfolding, where the challenges might be, and what you want the result of each stage of the race to be.

Mental training
Much like training your body to perform to its potential, you need to train your mind to be at its best. Before each training session, do some mental preparation such as repeating a favourite motivational quote or thought. When the going gets tough, visualize a motivational scenario to get through it.

Visualize
On race day (or indeed on training days), it’s important to visualize your race and how it will unfold. You have your race plan (see above), but in the days leading up to the race, and on race morning, you should run through each stage of your race in your head, seeing success at every turn. Visualize yourself being smooth and slippery in the swim, an efficient transition, powerful and steady on the bike and fluid on the run.

The challenges
Every athlete will face challenges in their training and racing journey, and it’s important that you know how to deal with them successfully. By mentally preparing for these challenges and how you will resolve them, your chances of overcoming such challenges on the big day are increased greatly. For example, if you get a flat, visualize yourself changing the tire quickly and calmly, and then getting back into your rhythm easily.

A quiet mind
The great Mark Allen spoke about this several times at conferences and dinners that I have been to. He referred to those times when he struggled out there in the Ironman Hawaii, and when negative thoughts started to crowd his head. Just when he thought his head would explode and he would drop out, he forced himself to calm his mind and just empty it of all thoughts – in essence, a quiet mind. With a quiet mind, he was able to focus his energy on the physical, and finish the race.

Deborah Moore is an Associate Coach with NRG Performance Training; a Toronto-based professional coaching services company specializing in endurance sports. Contact her at Deborah@nrgpt.com or visit www.nrgpt.com.