If you are in control of your mental game, you gain an edge over other triathlon competitors whether you are a professional Ironman competitor or a sprint-distance newcomer. Discipline and willpower are important in endurance sports --- as are your ability to keep calm and your belief that you will accomplish your goals, even when unexpected obstacles arise. For best results, don't save mental training for the last few weeks prior to your race --- practice it throughout your training season.
Visualization
Practice visualization during your triathlon training. When you believe you can do something, you often can; when you believe you cannot do something, you are most often correct. For example, in the 1950s no one believed it was possible to run a four-minute mile ... until one runner accomplished it. A second runner broke the barrier 46 days later, and many others soon followed. Failure during races most often is linked with negative thoughts, while positive thoughts most often drive success, notes Hermann Aschwer, author of "The Complete Guide to Triathlon Training." The more often you see yourself attaining a goal in your mind, the more likely you are to actually accomplish it. Imagine yourself successfully completing all three portions of your triathlon at least once a week. You also can pretend that you are racing as you train, and imagine it's a world championship rather than a local race. This type of fantasizing ups your excitement level, leads to harder training and ultimately better racing, notes Matt Fitzgerald, author of "'Triathlete' Magazine's Complete Training Book."
Relaxation
Use relaxation techniques as you train, starting with the first week. That way you'll be able to calm yourself when stressful situations arise during training, on race day and during two of the most stressful race moments --- the race start and the race swim. Practice relaxation three times per week for up to five minutes, recommends Tom Holland in his book "The 12-Week Triathlete." Sit or lie in a comfortable place. Close your eyes and breathe in deeply via your nose. Exhale through your mouth. As you do this, visualize a calm scene. It can be a place, person, object or anything else that works for you. Focus on your scene and try to keep all other thoughts from your mind. Choose a word that has a calming effect and repeat it in your mind over and over. Continue in this state until you lose focus. While you might feel silly, Holland says practicing will enable you to call upon your image or word during your race, which will help you keep your cool.
Self-Talk
Use self-talk during training and on the day of your race. This mental tool will raise your performance and increase your enjoyment of your race. It can help control your focus and concentration, mood and the amount of effort you put forth. Self-talk also will help you acquire or improve your skills. Create short, concise statements that emphasize your belief in your capabilities. Examples include, "I can finish the swim," and "I am ready." Use the present tense for yourself talk, such as "I am" instead of "I will." Statements that rhyme and song lyrics also work.
Positive Attitude
Practice a positive, can-do attitude. This will help you talk yourself through tough situations, such as a flat tire during the cycling portion of the triathlon. Tell yourself you'll fix the flat in less than five minutes and gain renewed strength from the break. If you are feeling worn down during a training session, practice telling yourself that the momentary weakness will pass. If you face a tough hill, use healthy aggression instead of complaints --- "I will conquer you hill," for example, or "I get to go downhill and pick up speed in a moment." Self-talk is something you will do most of the time as you train or race anyways, so it makes sense to utilize it and say what you need to hear to improve performance instead of allowing negative self-talk to hinder performance.
Goal-Setting
Goal-setting is an important part of your mental training. You'll establish many goals as you work toward race day, some of which are short-term and some of which are long-term. You'll also have minor and major goals. Whatever the case, you'll benefit by using the acronym SMART for your goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. For example, setting a goal to improve your weaknesses is not as specific as setting a goal to improve your swim technique or your ability to run after the bike leg of the race. On race day, Fitzgerald recommends setting one or more measurable goals, from finishing to a certain overall time goal to placing in your age division.
Mental Toughness
Practice mental toughness as you train. This will help you dig deeper and pass people at the end of your race or hang with the pack as you ride your bike. Practicing perseverance as you train, such as going out in inclement weather or going farther than you previously have before, helps you get through tough race scenarios as well. Ironman triathlete Owen Baggott explains on the Beginner Triathlete website that this skill is somewhat easy to acquire: "You simply decide to have it." However, once you turn this corner, you need to continuously apply your mental toughness.
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