Performance Psychology

Endure: (verb) To remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding.

There will be times in triathlon training and racing where you will have to dig deep to endure the challenges presented and this is one of the most beneficial aspects to the sport. The tools you develop to help you overcome those obstacles will also be available when life itself presents its inevitable hardships. It's at these times that we turn to our tool kit and access the means to deal with the mental and emotional challenges. Everyone's tool kit (or filing cabinet if you wish) is different. Make sure to fill yours with the resources that work for you. Sports psychologists often refer to the challenges as "cognitive crises," where the brain tries to protect the body by encouraging it to slow down or stop. Our tool kit can help overcome these crises. Here are some to consider adding to your collection.

General Approach

• A little doubt is a good thing. It helps to keep you focused on the things that matter

• Expect to arrive at the hard parts, expect to struggle.

• Invite challenges and appreciate them when they arrive, you are ready and have the tools to handle it. Welcome the challenge as a third person, a little devil on your shoulder, "I was expecting you to show up but I'm ready!"

• When challenges arise pause to think before reacting. Think, consider, then act.

• If your body is sending you a signal (mood, pain etc) pause to understand the message. 

• Don't ignore messages from your body, brain or the environment and 'tough it out'. Take control, consider, and act. That is what toughness is.

• Make a list what can go wrong and how you will react then visualise this process. See our 'what can go wrong' lists in the blog.

Self-talk

• • Swim: Long and lean, smooth and strong

  • Run: 

    • Relax and control

    • Count one leg as it strikes/count to four (one and two and three and four), helps to keep cadence up

  • Transitions: Smooth is fast

  • Motivational

    • You've done the work

    • The "Third-Person" Perspective: Address yourself by name or as "you" rather than "I." Research suggests that saying "You can do this, [Name]" provides more emotional distance and reduces the perceived intensity of stress.

Focus Strategies

• Chunking: Break the challenge down. Focus only on the next 10 minutes, the next aid station, or even the next telephone pole.

• Meditate on Your Breath: Count your breaths in relation to your movements (strokes, strides) as this will promote relaxation and, hence, efficiency. It will also occupy your brain and calm you.

• Distract: You don't have to always be in the moment when out there. Sometimes it may help if you let your mind wander far from the activity and think about a great movie, memory, or grocery list!

• Body Scan: Check your body from the top down, making sure everything is relaxed and functioning well. Things like your jaw, shoulders, and hands can get tense and spread that feeling through the body. Relax each area.

• Smiles and Thank You's: Chatting with other athletes and volunteers can lead to smiles and endorphin release for everyone.

• Remember Why You're Doing It: We all have our own motivations. Think about that goal, journey, person, or cause to remind yourself. This is your intrinsic motivation, the fuel deep inside you that will help you to keep going.