Mental Toughness - Visualization
OK, during the past three months you have
neglected work and let it pile up on your desk. It would
be chivalrous of you to say that you did this to spend more
time with your family. However, family time has also been
sacrificed as you train for that type "A" triathlon
race. You have followed a great training plan and your taper
is going well. Since you have dedicated so much time to
this endeavor, let's get you that extra edge, the mental
edge. There is a motto that has been around for years stating,
"Racing is 10% physical and 90% mental." It's
a slight exagerration, but there is sense to it. Do you
have any training partners who kick your butt in training
only to finish ten minutes behind you in a race? If so,
they lack that mental toughness and preparation.
I visualize for any race and even certain training sessions.
For me, the best way to visualize is to actually know the
geographical area of the event. The earlier you see the
area, the more time you can visualize. The most convenient
time for me to visualize is right before bedtime. This may
be hard for some because they might fall asleep. That's
OK as long as you get your visualization in first. I like
to relax the body by taking deep breaths and relaxing muscles.
After breathing in for three seconds, I flex muscles in
a certain part of my body for three to five seconds. As
I breathe out, I let the muscles relax. I do each muscle
group twice throughout the entire body. This takes five
to seven minutes depending on how many muscle groups are
flexed at once. I like to start at the toes and end with
the face.
When relaxed, I take my mind to the race site and visualize
from race preparation to race finish. I visualize how I
feel and what to expect. I visualize how to fix problems
if they arise. In doing so, I won't panic if it actually
happens such as goggles breaking during the swim or getting
a flat tire. It is also important to visualize the prefect
race where your form is great, you feel great and you are
racing at your optimum. The more you visualize, the more
race day will seem automatic. You just put your body on
autopilot.
