ForEliteAtheletes to FunRunners
9
RACE : PERFORMANCE
psychologically, meaning these competitors stay
sharp and invigorated to keep on striving for more.
The other trick (which also applies at Level 2) is
that these athletes note if you have a moment of
hesitation when booking several races, particularly
if they are close together. This could be them asking
themselves this ‘can I complete several’ question.
Planning and preparation in other areas is where
these athletes have focused to gain the confidence
to successfully answer this question. Nutritional
advice from an expert can help understand how to
fuel appropriately pre and post-race. Spending time
researching and investing in recovery techniques such
as ice baths, compression gear, supplements and
flexibility all enables you to step up and be ready to go
within 24 hours of their last race or training session.
L4
CAN I WIN ONE?
With the availability of personal and
race-provided timing to assess performance,
alongside the ‘that person overtook me back there
and now I’ve got them back’ thought pattern, it is
often easy to get a boost in performance when the
circumstances work in a racers’ favour.
But that boost can work against them when the
circumstances aren’t in their favour, or are below the
expectations they have set themselves.
To achieve success at this level, it is here where the
most development needs to take place, alongside
the physical training focus established in the
previous levels. Yes, speed, strength and endurance
will need to keep improving in order to compete at
the level of those they once aspired to be compared
to. However, all of these distractions need to be
managed in order break through and beat them.
Learning to ignore this noise and focus on
consistently applying their skills and capabilities
to their fullest potential, to every obstacle and
challenge they are presented with, in the unique
circumstance of that race is key for these racers to
potentially winning one.
L5
CAN I WIN THEM ALL?
The effort to win one can never be
underestimated. The time dedicated to training at all
times of the day, carrying bizarre things over bizarre
distances, in bizarre places over and over again has
reaped the reward that once was a distant dream.
Well, sustained success can often be the next level
to focus upon, as it is here where the greats are truly
differentiated from the one-hit wonders.
Winning a series like Toughest or Spartan, or taking
on all-comers at a World level are just a few goals
these top competitors set themselves. Whatever the
goal, it is high enough to feel out of reach to give
the drive to keep focusing and committing to the
training, the nutrition, the recovery and the state of
mind training.
COMMONALITIES ACROSS THE LEVELS
Whatever the level, there are always distractions
along the way that impact when and where the next
level might be achieved or whether they can repeat
the success of their current level. Working with a
Performance Coach will enable them to remain
balanced along the roller-coaster ride that is the
pursuit of their unique goal.
But if there is one thing I have observed that applies
when pursuing any level of performance – any goal –
it is the ability to focus on the inputs not the outputs
that provides the clarity of thinking, the application
of learning and the interpretation of the environment
around each athlete, so they can react and act
appropriately towards every challenge to achieve.
The other commonality is that athletes of any ability
never know if they can perform at the next level
unless they take that step into the unknown and
commit to the events that are going to stretch them.
This could be booking that ‘tougher’ race, the elite
wave at a single race or a series of events that pits
them up against the stiffest competition.
So consider this – whatever the event, if you want the
next level, what have you got to lose and what have
you got to learn…
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motivational
coaching
Sacrifices will
have been made
along the way,
some easily,
some painfully,
and some may
be left with a
feeling of what’s
next?
This level also
could be titled
‘just how good
am I?’ and
it’s inevitable
if there is a
competitive
streak within
these athletes.
