Do you get in your head at the start of a race?

Keep asking yourself, ‘why am I doing this?’ as you contemplate dropping out of a race?

Finish part of a workout and start telling yourself ‘you suck, go do something else.’

Feel like an imposter?

You’re not alone. All athletes battle with up’s and down’s in their mental game. However, we’re not necessarily taught these skills and certainly isn’t what a lot of coaches are teaching.

Mental skills training is not just for elite athletes. Everyone can benefit from it. Whether you’re training for your first ultramarathon, racing Ironman Kona or trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, developing and enhancing your mental skills is not just going to prepare you for race day but longevity as an athlete.

While the thought crossed my mind for a few moments to not compete as I knew there was a certain risk (of severe injury or worse) I also knew that I could be composed enough to not ‘race,’ take my time navigating terrain that was above my ability, challenge myself in other areas, grow as a rider and get stronger, preparing for races later in the season.

The opportunity was in the mindset.

Why is it so hard to take a break?

Part of it is we absolutely love what we do - run, bike, climb, ski. It is often exhilarating to run fast, to push fast on the bike. The other part - is we’re trying to get ‘better’ at what we do…and maybe we’re so focused on results that we lose sight of the big picture. Our passion takes over. We’re hooked so to speak. Reacting to rules we create for ourselves. Self-judgements. Comparisons.