I just keep thinking I didn’t train 13-15 hours a week for several months to slow down and walk. Or I tell myself that it won’t hurt any less by slowing down. Or I tell myself that my family sacrificed too much in this process to slow down. Seemed to work pretty well in my first Ironman this year. The last couple hours were excruciating but I kept jogging.

I heard this somewhere
If you quit you will know, if you finish, everyone will know!

Think you need to suck it up princess. First little old man or lady to pass you should be enough incentive to snug up your manties. Most people I know train to finish. It’s tough sometimes but just keep moving. Mind is always stronger than the body. If you really need help, talk to every volunteer at every aid station and tell them what a great job they’re doing. There will be enough feedback to keep you going to the finish line.

Giterdun

that's pretty good; it makes sense that the more positive you are the outside the more positive you are likely to be on the inside

Absolutely, be positive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y

Smile - scientifically proven to boost your mood and relieve stress (even when forced). Should work twice as much for you as it will remind you of the charity you're supporting by doing the race.

2 things I fall back on.

I always reflect back on all the early mornings rolling out of bed to head out on a run or drive to the gym for a swim....when I'd much rather stay in bed especially on the cold winter mornings. All the hard sessions when I've buried myself, the long runs, etc........And I simply ask myself, did I do all that for nothing?? Thinking of quitting after spending all that time training always lifts me up.

Second is, especially when race day turns out to be a really nice day, I just tell myself, you get to spend all day outside in water, riding a bike, and running.....and I just tell myself, "it doesn't get any better than this."

Positive self-talk is great, but for me it needs to happen *out loud*. Actually say the words out loud.

Don't say whimsical, nonsense things like "You're the man!" or "You're crushing it!"

Say facts: "You look good for being 10 hours into an Ironman." "Good job holding this pace/power" "Two years ago you couldn't even ride 100 miles." "More than halfway home" "The run is going to suck but you won't stop"

Self talk that works for me affirms that "yes, things suck" and that "yes, I am still humming along"

Remember, to paraphrase Matt Fitzgerald "It's not how you feel, it's how you feel about how you feel."

It will hurt, bad. But that's what we're here for.

"It never always gets worse" - Dan Brannen

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__________________________________________________________
ill advised racing inc.

I lost a few good chances for various things, and I know that when I am almost ready to kick the bucket, I don't want any regrets. Missing those things eats me up royally and I am NOT going to let that happen again. When training and I see someone in front of me, I have to pass them. Usually I pick a "finish line" somewhere ahead of them, and try to beat them to it. I'll adjust the finish line up or back depending on how fast I am gaining on them so that I have to push harder to just beat them. And then there is another person in front of that one who is in danger of passing the finish line before me, so I have to repeat the process. There isn't enough time for negativity to get in the way. I'm only half joking when I say that I have thoughts are always "If I crash, I trust the doctors enough to put me back together."

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The more people I encounter the more I love my cats.

I always remind myself during important races that:

- this is probably the best day of the year

- in hindsight this is probably going to be remembered as one of the best days of my life

- I am lucky to be healthy enough to be able to be here

- I may not get many more of these days in the rest of my life (injury, change of jobs, family illnesses are always around the corner)

- i work and take care of family, kids, clients, friends most of my time. This day is for me and nobody else, this is my hobby, this is what I love doing

It puts everything in perspective.

Embrace the negativity.

I berate myself 🤣. Tell yourself to quit being such a **** **** ********* ***********

If you do this out loud, just make sure there are no children present.

Hi James,

I highly recommend that you read "How bad do you want it? Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle" by Matt Fitzgerald. I go through the book pretty much before every race and I give it credit for my breakthrough IM this year (9:02 at IMMT).

Lots of tools to combat self sabotage and negative self talk, especially in the "brace yourself" chapter. Basically, you need to embrace the fact that it's going to hurt a lot. Then you focus on what you control : your effort, your nutrition and your attitude.

Your mindset is everything in IM racing. You need to train your mind as much as your body. The more you want it, the more pain you'll be willing to go through ;-)

Elliot

I feel like this is a very high risk : high reward type of scenario, haha.

YES

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

That's been a big help along the way, honestly. The donation goals and fundraising have really helped be a motivator. Somewhere in there I got a little fit and started to have "goals" and then it becomes dangerous...ha!

 
Realize a sucky day of triathloning beats a great day of fishing!

Accept the “suck” as part of success, no whining allowed.

Racing in triathlons does not create a self-induced, over-the-counter drug that keeps people happy all the time. As a triathlete, mood will fluctuate through-out race day. You’ll rate yourself on great training days just this side of invincible while challenging distance, speed, or that combination on race days will humble all triathletes but the mythical elite to question themselves about the self-inflicted abuse. On these sucky days of tri racing, raise above your nay-saying self and bathe in the sunny side of the sport. Think the high of the accomplishment, the low of the body weight, the speed of the body, and the fun of a fulfilling journey. You are the hero of your chosen sport and probably to others in your family, amongst your friends, and others on your team.
Publicly acknowledge your support personnel during the lows and highs of a career. They will in turn support you through the easy and tough parts of your racing.

Seek out role models for resiliency. Adopt their traits as yours to move ahead again. Tweak them to personalize the best for your needs. Mimicking is a start but understanding what works for you is the key to your future success.

Thrive on your grit, calories, and challenges to bask in the glory of successfully overcoming adversity. Mark Allen didn’t finish his first Ironman race in Hawaii. He didn’t win in Kona until his 7th attempt. Then he won six titles without another loss. That is your posterman for a resilient triathlete. Whenever you think you cannot recover from a personal setback, reevaluate what you control in your behavior to rebound and continue to extend your passion of being a triathlete.

Everything in life requires effort that includes a bit of suckiness. To enjoy the great triathloning experiences of people, places, and accomplishments, you must know the worse. Acknowledge the self-inflicted pain of a hard effort is temporary and your achievements last for a lifetime of relaxing memories. The upside of triathloning will be re-lived for years. The alternative is fishing…. worms anyone?

https://www.palmtreesahead.com/
https://www.palmtreesahead.com/coaching-style

Towards the end, I recite this line from Foo Fighters "All My Life" at each mile marker

"Done, done and I'm on to the next one"

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Compression socks.

It keeps the blood pumping up to your brain which keeps you happy.

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

I always think about a Karen Smyers interview after she was basically written off during an IM and came back strong for an incredible finish. She said something like "Always keep going because you never know what is going to happen." For some reason that has always stuck with me.

Whenever I hit that low point in any race, ride, or adventure, I just think of that and keep going. I never know what is going to happen.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

whenever negative thoughts start creeping in during an IM I just keep replaying this in my mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

I remember hearing Dave Scott speak once and he said that every time he won Kona he went through a stage in the race (usually on the bike) where he didn't think he would even be able to finish. That the day is full of ups and downs, mountains and valleys. But its a long day and things can turn around when you are in the valleys. Usually the valleys were a sign that you need to get some calories in to feed the brain and get positive again.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

Jay Z works too:

SAM BROWN | JAY Z | ON TO THE NEXT ONE

https://vimeo.com/50600813

I got a million ways to get it, choose one (choose one)
Hey, bring it back, now double your money and make a stack
I'm on to the next one

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

This is a new thought for me. I have listened to many podcasts/interviews with marathon runners or triathletes and it seems that they "reset" their goals on the fly. If things are going poorly they will reset what their "present moment" goal is. They will continue to reset the goal until it is a goal they can "win". Once they win or achieve their present goal they then set a little higher goal for the present moment. If they can "win" the new goal, they reset again - sometimes they get all the way back to the original goal.

I tried this in my last IM - didn't work!! The problem was I didn't really believe in the new, reset goal. I kept thinking that I was weak and giving up. I think the new goal has to be truly important and meaningful in the present moment and the old goal is truly gone.

"Passion and warfare" - I have this on my top tube, my Road ID, and had it on my old rear disc. Any time things get tough, I just start repeating this over and over. It's the name of an old Steve Vai album, and on one of the tracks ("The Audience Is Listening") there is a partially hidden message:

"I'm fearless in my heart.
They will always see that in my eyes, I am the passion, I am the warfare.
I will never stop, always constant, accurate, and intense."

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"I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10, and I don't know why!"