Running a race is a lot like taking a final exam. Some people are just not good test takers no matter how hard they study. Same with racing. You may be strong and skilled but for some reason you don’t do well when it comes to race time. You are perplexed why that is the case and wonder if there’s anything you can do to change it.
Going over your checklist of everything necessary to have a great race you thought you had it all covered. You’ve pushed your body, training hard every day and sticking to the plan. You’ve managed not to get injured and your body is a lean, mean, muscle machine and totally ready for game day. But then during a race you once again choked and fell short of your goal. You blame the weather, wardrobe malfunction, lack of sleep, not feeling good, etc.
But there will always be something and deep down you know that none of those things are the real reason why you failed once again. You wonder what really happened? The truth is very simple, as is the case with truth in general. You were missing an incredibly important, game changing and almost magical ingredient.
Mental stamina
You trained your body but did you train your mind? The strength of your mind is what you need when the going gets tough and body wants to quit or when some physical components are not optimal. If all you do is rely on all the physical aspects to be perfect, then when one of them fails, in your mind it’s already over because you were not prepared to overcome it.
So, anticipate things to go wrong and have all the answers ready. It’s too hot, it’s too cold, it’s windy, it’s raining, my shorts are itchy, I didn’t sleep enough, I didn’t eat enough, and the list goes on. Train your mind to dismiss it all, put it aside, and focus on the task at hand. Enjoy being in the moment and tell yourself whatever you know you need to hear to be amazing. It works! Now go and slay it on your next race! You got this!