Mind Games

"Our reaction to a situation literally

has the power to change the situation itself."

We have all heard the old saying: "Pain is temporary, pride is forever", but often times getting from the "pain" to the "pride" is a treacherous proposition.

As triathletes and runners, as well as cyclists and swimmers, we have our training plan nailed to the smallest detail. We know what to do, when to do it and how to do it. We get up each and everyday knowing exactly what's on the agenda for that particular date and time; how long a swim, how long a ride, how long a run.  We watch our progress as time ticks and brings us closer to our goal, whatever that may be.

But as time passes, our body begins to take a hit. The longer the workouts, the more difficult they seem. Progression is methodical but it takes it's toll on our joints, bones, muscles and most dangerously, our mind.

As our physical being begins to ache, we often know what to do. A date with our masseuse, a session with the foam roller, a stint in the hot tub or ice bath, an extra day's rest. Most often, one or a combination of these, is enough to get us back on track.

But what happens when we begin to feel sluggish, in a way that we start not looking forward to our workouts? What happens when the struggle to finish the laps or miles becomes a chore as opposed to a a joy? One of the most important elements of our journey is the "fun". We must have fun. We must look forward to each workout. We must look forward to the progression and the work required to see improvement. Without fun, well... it's not going to be worth it.

At least for me. I have to have fun. But remember that "fun" is relative.

We are not the only ones that are affected when we lose the edge. Our personality changes and those around, those that support our journey, are affected as well. We become irritable, we complain about "everything", we start driving our loved ones away. All of the sudden we could find ourselves alone.

But we continue. We continue because we're not quitters. We continue because, heaven forbid, we made a commitment and we're going to follow through, no matter what. But the journey becomes miserable and gets more difficult each and every day.

So, what's going on? How did we get here? How did things fall so far out of control?

Mind Games.

Before I go on, I must tell you that I'm not a Sport Psychologist, I don't have a fancy degree in the matter, I haven't studied hundreds of subjects to come up with any answers. What I have however, is experience. Real life experience in the subject.Those of you that have followed me for any time at all know that I am not a life long athlete, far from it. Real far from it. At age 52, I was still on the couch, gaining weight and wasting my life away. And then things changed.

I have learned that the body will go longer and farther than the mind thinks is can. Often, the mind wants you to give up, to call it a day, long before your body is ready to do so. You're tired, you ache, there are a thousand other things, your mind tells you, you'd rather be doing. You will look for excuses and options. "I will do this workout later", "I really need to take today off", "my knee hurts", "it's cold outside", "the wind is blowing", "the water is cold", "the sun is in my eyes", etc.

So I have a plan. And I work my plan.

1). I always take the stinking thinking thing and turn it into a positive. When it shows up, I know its time to buckle down and push through. It's my sign.

Regardless of the race I'm training for, I always have a reason and a "goal" for doing said race. This reason is one that I have to believe in and know it adds value to my life and those around me. Once this goal is cemented in my mind, I won't let go. I take it with me wherever I go. Because I know that sooner or later, I will need to refer back to it.

Sometime during the Peak Phase of our training, its when we need to pull this little gem out. On that killer Brick workout, in weather exceeding acceptable levels, our mind is pushing and pushing hard. Our legs are heavy, our lungs are tired. Our family misses us and our friends... well, what friends?! You want to go back, you want to cut your training short. Heck, a couple of hours less today, will not make a difference? or will it? I will know. I will know that I turned back. I wont be happy. But its hard. Real hard.

Remember the reason you're doing this? Remember it well, for this is the time when you need it. This is the time when you want to revisit and refer back to it. Strong enough a reason and you'll finish your workout. You'll finish strong. You'll finish proud. you'll feel good, much better than you feel had you turned back. I won't lie to you, it will suck, but you'll be proud.

2). Visualization. I am a strong believer in visualization. I visualize everything. A good swim. A great ride, an awesome run, and yes, a fast transition. I visualize myself at the starting line. I visualize myself coming out of the water. I visualize myself finishing my bike in one piece. I visualize myself on the run, making it to aid station number one and then two, and then... I visualize mile 17 and thinking "not today, no walls today." And finally, I visualize myself entering the finishing carpet, all alone, having the crowd cheering and knowing that each one of those cheers is just for me. I visualize my wife and daughters, family and friends, all of them at the finish line. It's been a long day, and they're still there. I visualize Mike Reilly calling me in: "Mauricio Sanchez you ARE and Ironman." I visualize all this. And if this doesn't get you goose bumps, nothing will.

3). Mantra. Everyone's gotta have a mantra. Do you?  Sometime before IMKY 2011, I started thinking of one. I knew that I had to have FAITH in my training, in my body and in myself. I knew that I had to have FOCUS. It's gonna be a long, long day. I can't lose my Focus. I have to keep what's important, important. And my mission that day was to FINISH and finish strong. So there it was, my new mantra; FAITH. FOCUS. FINISH. I believe in this so much, I had bracelets made. I've spread a few around. If you want one, drop me a note.  I wear my bracelet anytime I train, any time I race. Any event, any distance. On the bike, I can see it most of the time when I'm aero. On the run, I look at it when the going gets tough. If my Road ID goes on, and it always does, my bracelet goes on as well.

Everyone has a system. This is mine. It's worked and I expect it will continue to work. What do you do? How do you get out of the funk?

The next four/five weeks of IMChoo training are going to get tough, very tough. You're going to doubt, you're going to second guess your decision, you're going to wish you never started this, but you will hold strong for you have a reason, you can see yourself at the starting line and then through the finish line. At times it's not going to be fun, but "fun" is relative.

However, you will make it and I WILL see YOU at the finish line!

"Our environment, the world in which we live in

is a mirror of our attitude and expectations"

~ Earl Nightingale

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About The Fifth Element

Many say that triathlons have four disciplines:  Swim, Bike, Run and Nutrition.  I'd like to add Mental Strength as the Fifth Element, specially if you're involved in long distance triathlons.

It is without a doubt that an Ironman event is the ultimate test of speed, strength and endurance; a physical test like no other.  However, it is very possible that the triathletes mental strength will be tested to an even higher degree.

Making it through one of the world's most grueling events is not a matter of chance.  No doubt you will come, as most do, physically prepared to endure the challenge.  You will be ready to swim the 2.4 miles, to ride for 112 miles on your bike and to run a marathon (26.2 miles) because you have done your work.  And all this, you're asking your body to do in less than 17 hours.

But making it through the event is the easy part.  Getting there is another story.

At this moment you could be in the honeymoon phase of training.  You're just getting started.  Maybe you just returned to the pool and are getting a feel back for the water.  After your session you still have a smile on your face.  If the weather has been nice, you have a few rides and/or runs under your belt.  Nothing long, nothing hard. You're just getting your legs ready.  You still have a smile on your face.

A little further down the road, a month of so (depending on the date of your event), your training will be a bit more structured.  Perhaps you have hired the services of a coach, perhaps you depend on a close friend or an online buddy to get you to the finish line.  Regardless, structure will follow.

Then the miles will start piling up.  Your one a day sessions become two a days.  20 hours per week of training added to your normal, everyday obligations.  Insane. Your day off will be spent sleeping.  You will be tired.  Very, very tired.  All the time.  But this is normal.  Isn't it?

You will soon begin to questions your motives and your sanity.  "What was I thinking?", "It seemed like a great idea back then".  Doubt will begin to creep in.  This is your mind trying to tell you that the work is hard, very, very hard.  Your mind wants to know what you're made of.  Your mind is tired and it wants to quit.  So, what are you made of?


Your "I can" and "I will" self talks are beginning to change.  You will soon be saying "I can't" or "I won't".  As athletes we are very good at self talk.  Unfortunately our negative talks find their way into our mind much to often, much to fast.  They will, if we allow them, overpower and overcome the positive talks.  Again, if we let them.

I remember that one of my toughest challenges was climbing hard hills on my bike.  I would go around them.  I would dread the fact that I had to tackle them when there was no choice.  I would look at the top of the climb as literally say "this will never happen".  I also remember the day I was climbing this particular one and when things got iffy I started repeating The Little Engine That Could:  "Yes I Can, Yes I Can, Yes I Can."  And yes, with the "chugging" sound to go along with it!  Then, with a smile on my face, upon arriving at the top, I remember saying:  "Yes, I Did".  I repeated this each and every time I came upon a tough hill, including those at the Louisville Ironman.

Whatever your strategy is to eliminate negative talk, the most important thing is to recognize it and address it fast.  Do not let it take control.  Once it does, its hard, very hard to eliminate.

During training it is important to take continuous mental note of how you're feeling.  Your body, your mind.  There will be times when you're on a swim, a ride or a run when you just want to stop.  You're tired, you're in pain.  You just want to stop.  Acknowledge this and have a plan to deal with it.  Unless you are Superman or Superwoman, this will happen to you.  And at this moment, stopping is easy.  You're still training, there's always tomorrow.

At some point during the Ironman you are going to feel bad as well.  It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.  Again, it is important to have a plan.  A clear, specific plan.  What will you do?  Swim the back stroke, stop spinning, walk?  It is very important to remember that this will pass.  It always does.  Your  mental approach to pain will be the difference between a finish and a DNF!  Practice your mental plan to deal with this during your training.  You will have plenty of opportunity to do so.

My favorite strategy for dealing with misery during Louisville Ironman was to involve others.  I remembered that misery does indeed love company.  You can read my detailed account of this on my "About Becoming An Ironman" race report.  It was an amazing thing!

Before you even get started on your journey you must really have a clear and concise reason as to why it is that you're doing this.  Chances are that when you signed up for the Ironman you had goals and as you made your journey to the starting line, these goals turned into reasons.  Coming down the stretch, somewhere around mile 17 of the marathon, when you hit "the wall" things are no longer about your physical conditioning, your physical fitness.  All of the sudden things are about your "mental strength", your desire and your "reasons".  If, way deep down in every fiber of your soul you don't have a clear reason for finishing, chances are it may not happen.

Reasons are very personal.  They should be yours and no one elses.  What will motivate you to the finish line is highly personal.  The key is to have "your" reason(s) clear in your mind before the gun goes off, not at mile two of the swim, or at mile 90 of the bike or worse yet, at mile 18 of the marathon.

All during training, visualization and mental repetition will be your best tool.  When things get tough, look ahead.  Specifics will help.  See yourself crossing the finish line.  See your family and friends waiting for you with open arms.  See yourself feeling something in your gut you have never felt before.

Oh yeah, don't forget to have FUN. (it takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown, hence less energy spent). You will be nervous as you wait your turn for the swim.  Smile.  You will be in pain as you climb those hills on the bike.  Smile.  And as you progress through the run, yes... Smile.  Enjoy the Journey.  Be Proud. This will be YOUR day!

***There has to be a million and one stories of how different athletes deal with the mental aspect of training and racing, not just in triathlon but in any other sport.  If you are so inclined to do so, I ask that you please, use this post's comments to share yours with the rest of us.  Ideas and thoughts are always welcome.
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