I PERFORM WELL UNDER THESE CONDITIONS
The Mental Edge
Today's workout is to Rest or Cross Train. Given the heat indexes today, swimming in a cool pool or the lake might be your best option.
Yesterday I did my second triathlon of the summer. I traveled to Cleveland and participated in the Pan Am Masters Games Sprint Triathlon. Sprint Triathlons are a great entry point for people interested in participating in the sport because the distances of the three activities are not too long. Although the distances can range slightly most are:
750 Meter Swim
20 Kilometer Bike (12.4 Miles)
5 Kilometer Run (3.1 Miles)
The Pan Am Masters Sprint Triathlon is my 6th Triathlon since I did my first in September 2022. The hardest part for me is the swim. The easiest part is the run. And yesterday I enjoyed the biking the most.
The swim for me is both a physical and mental challenge. Lots of Triathletes talk about freak out moments in the swim. I would not say I have ever had that happen to me but there are times where I feel particularly inadequate compared to my competitors in the swim.
I have found the best way to get over that is through repeating mantras.
The one above has always been a favorite of athletes I have coached at North Shore Country Day. It comes from a audio tape I bought over 25 years ago titled The Mental Edge.
The narrative going through our heads during our day and especially in competitive situations can be particularly powerful on our behavior. Re-scripting that narrative from Negative to Positive I have seen improve performance significantly.
Though I still have a lot of room for improvement in the swim segment of a triathlon, yesterday I swam strong completing the swim in my 2nd fastest time of the 5 sprint triathlons I have completed. I attributed that strong swim to my mantras.
Try a few positive mantras especially when you are challenged getting your daily workout in. I think it will help.
I have several other mantras that I use which I will share on another day.
No comments:
Post a Comment