If you’ve ever had an Ironman race photo taken of you with your chin in your hands, propped up by elbows in your aero bars, there’s a good chance you’re struggling with boredom and mental focus while racing.
Despite the buzz and excitement of an Ironman event, the reality is most athletes will face long stretches during the race when they lose focus, and even interest. While the swim is long, there is so much going on in an open-water swim that most athletes are very engaged in the first leg. In open water it is imperative to be aware of your surroundings constantly, continuously sight, surging past other swimmers or getting on someone’s feet. Generally, you have to have your wits about to avoid getting clobbered in the swim. The bike and run, however, can drag on for what feels like forever. It’s a challenge to stay focused and positive when you’re in the back half of your race.
Battling boredom
The initial excitement of putting the swim behind you and getting out on your bike can fade after a few hours in the saddle. The truth is, it can get boring out there. This isn’t your social group ride on the weekends with pleasant exchanges and coffee stops. Mile after mile the mind starts to wander and eventually you find yourself just going through the motions.
It’s a little harder to mentally check-out on the run, and there is the advantage of being able to socialize a bit with other racers and volunteers. But the mental fatigue at the point in the race can be extremely challenging and test your drive and determination.
If you can make the bike cutoff by riding this way, and your goal is to finish, then enjoy daydreaming on your bike and taking in the scenery. If you went into the race with higher expectations, then employing mental tricks to keep you alert and engaged with your performance is necessary.
Tips 1: Break the race into mental segments
The full Ironman distance can feel overwhelming, so breaking it down into manageable mental chunks can help you avoid those sinking feelings about how much ground you need to cover. It’s better to break the race down into segments, and focus on one thing at a time. Segments keep you from spiralling into fatigue-induced panic or complacency.
During the swim, focus on getting into a rhythm, staying relaxed and sighting well. On the bike, break it into loops or by distance, such as 20km segments. Use alerts on your bike computer to prompt you to eat and drink, as this not only keeps you on top of your nutrition strategy, but also helps break down these segments even further while keeping you on task. On the run, break it down to aid stations, running the mile that you are in. It’s also advisable to use an alert on your watch to remind you to eat and drink, and this also helps keep you in the present.
Tip 2: Use you mantras
Hopefully, you have come up with some good mantras that you have practiced in training. These can be anything from words of encouragement to physical cues. Repeating mantras like, “Calm. Smooth. Relaxed” can not only keep you mentally engaged, but remind you to check in with your body, how you are feeling, your output and form. Checking in on physical form regularly can help you avoid losing touch with your body and slumping, or straying from output targets.
Conducting regular body scans can help you tune in so that your technique is good and your target is in range.
Tip 3: Stay in the present
It’s not just a cliche. Advice to “run the mile you’re in” is particularly important in long races like Ironman. If you can focus on the “now” it will not only help keep your form in tip top shape, but allows you to avoid being drowned in the thought of how much is left to do before the finish line.
It’s also really important not to allow your thoughts to stray and relive the miles that have gone by, especially if you made an error in your race plan execution. If you had a bad swim, or a mishap on the bike, don’t take that forward onto the run. It’s gone. Leave it in the past and refocus on the present moment. Dwelling on mistakes gone by in the race pulls you back into that moment of negativity and can unravel the rest of your race. Where your head is at has a huge impact on how well you will perform. Don’t sabotage the run with thoughts of poor sighting in the swim or lost time changing a flat on the bike.
Tip 4: Prepare for the lows
At some point in your race you are bound to have a low. Just accept that and prepare accordingly. Determine how you will mentally handle these moments and what you will say to yourself.
Before the race, take yourself through being sidelined changing a flat. The calmer you are the faster you will be able to fix it. See yourself going through the steps calmly and precisely. Imagine yourself back on the bike and leaving any fixation on this setback at the side of the road with your blown tube. If you think about the setback for the rest of the bike, your anger and disappointment will threaten your ability to stay focused on targets and nutrition, and the positivity you need to pull a great race together.
Tip 5: Implement mental checkpoints
Come up with a plan to do mental check-ins. Every 30 minutes or hour, ask yourself where your mental state is at, and fix it accordingly. If you are having constant negative thoughts, give yourself a pep talk. Remind yourself of all the things that have gone well during your race. Think about why you signed up and how fortunate you are to have made the start line to express the fitness you’ve gained over the last few months.
Cue yourself to smile often. You really will feel better just forcing a smile. If you sense you’re stiffening up, shake your body and mind out while running. If you are feeling down or bored, strike up a conversation with someone running near you. Exchange your struggles and encourage each other to relieve some of that tension and reclaim a healthy mindset.
The key to success when anticipating and dealing with a lack of mental focus when you are deep in the miles of an Ironman is preparation. Prepare by accepting it’s going to happen, and outline strategies for dealing with each potential moment that you expect will challenge your mind.
In the weeks leading up to the event, use those long rides and run to visualize being in that moment on the race course. Key moments are standing at the start line, seeing yourself methodically move through the transitions, riding strong and steady on the flats and managing effort on the climbs, and running relaxed with a smile.
Arrive ready to flip those negative, boring or challenging moments in your race upside down. The mental training for an Ironman is as important to a successful race as your swim, bike and run sessions.
You got this.
The post The mental game: 5 tips to stay focused during an Ironman appeared first on Triathlon Magazine Canada.