Triathlete Magazine, June 2010 by Mark Allen (six time winner of Ironman World Championship in Hawaii)
Mental toughness was my strength three years ago. Back when I spent a lot of time passing people. Last two years, after moving up to Expert, mental toughness is my weakness. Being passed by EVERYBODY starts to wear on ones mental state. I thought this article had some good pointers.
Goal 1: Have Quiet Attention
Exactly what it sounds like. Quiet your mind to stop all thinking. This is suppose to prevent any negative thoughts. If you find yourself moving towards destructive self-chatter, just to yourself to STFU (I added the TF part). This is something I try to do now. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.
Goal 2: Suspend Judgment
Here’s an awesome quote: “There is no perfect race, but you can race a race perfectly”. Basically that means you deal with every situation that comes your way in a calm manner. Think of the Seinfeld episode: “Serenity Now!!!!!”
Goal 3. Find Strength Before You Need It
Where will you draw your strength from when you want to quit? This is the story of my last two race season. There are times I pray for a broken chain or flat tire. Some excuse to end a race. Think ahead of time where you will draw your strength to overcome this obstacle. I tend to be very hard on myself, so the thought of looking at myself in the mirror knowing I quit would not turn out good. Also, there’s the fact you have to tell your family and friends you quit, etc.
Anyways, I thought these were good tips for mental strength.
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