Ironmentality
Just like baseball according to Yogi Berra, half of long distance triathlon is 90% mental. Continuing forward through pain, fatigue, and emotional high and lows – these are all a part of the game that must be taken seriously. We all have our mental strengths and weaknesses. Training for and racing long distance triathlons can make one’s basic tendencies abundantly clear.
The NJ Devilman was my 18th triathlon and my 5th “long course” race. While I don’t presume to fully comprehend the mental challenge I’m about to undertake with ironman, these races have given me enough experience to recognize my particular strengths and weaknesses.
I’m a pretty simple psychological study – good at training, but a head case on race day. Partly out of scheduling necessity, and partly out of a desire to “nail” the particular goals of every single training session, I do almost all of my triathlon training entirely alone. I’m able to stay motivated through training. It helps to have specific goals for each session. Being an introvert by nature, I enjoy the frequent opportunities created by solo training to process thoughts and recharge my mental energy.
Then race day shows up and I’m surrounded by other athletes. Many of them are faster than me. I tend to compare myself to them. The words “I suck” pass too easily through my mind. I frequently react by racing too hard for my fitness level and ability. The result of this is usually a late race metabolic meltdown and a finish time slightly off my goal.
The NJ Devilman was my 18th triathlon and my 5th “long course” race. While I don’t presume to fully comprehend the mental challenge I’m about to undertake with ironman, these races have given me enough experience to recognize my particular strengths and weaknesses.
I’m a pretty simple psychological study – good at training, but a head case on race day. Partly out of scheduling necessity, and partly out of a desire to “nail” the particular goals of every single training session, I do almost all of my triathlon training entirely alone. I’m able to stay motivated through training. It helps to have specific goals for each session. Being an introvert by nature, I enjoy the frequent opportunities created by solo training to process thoughts and recharge my mental energy.
Then race day shows up and I’m surrounded by other athletes. Many of them are faster than me. I tend to compare myself to them. The words “I suck” pass too easily through my mind. I frequently react by racing too hard for my fitness level and ability. The result of this is usually a late race metabolic meltdown and a finish time slightly off my goal.
I need mental blinders on race day. Well, maybe not blinders, but at least filters. My best race performances, and I mean every single good performance, has come on a day when I was excited to be there and exuded an overwhelmingly positive attitude. The other athletes didn’t matter so much. The volunteers handing out water – great, the fans clanking cowbells – God bless them, the second graders seeking high fives – awesome! I’ll be working on developing my negativity filters over the next few weeks. Let me know if you have any suggestions…
posted by dan kerr at 9:50 PM
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