Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 6

ForEliteAtheletes to FunRunners 9 RACE : OCRWC However, you have a chance to learn about these things, and if you approach that positively with the confidence you will make them ‘knowns’ before the race, you will be controlling what you can control. For example, before you leave home take a look at a map of the Blue Mountain resort, find the square, find your accommodation, locate the supermarket. When you then receive the event map, you can contextualise that information with what you already know. The same applies with the obstacles. OCRWC use obstacles from across the world to make an exciting and challenging event. For the one’s you’ve seen before, think through your strategy and technique for crossing each one with optimal efficiency, and take an inner confidence from the fact you can conquer it when you apply the right techniques. If an obstacle is unknown to you, use your downtime to get researching across the internet. There’s a very good chance there will be videos of people tackling the obstacles at their home race, and maybe even ‘how to conquer’ videos published by the RDs. Talk with your fellow racers, call your coach back home, discuss what you’re thinking and work out a way to control how you are going to approach that obstacle when you come to it in the race. In short, if you recognise tension building, consider what your unknown is, ask yourself what do I need to learn to make it a known and enjoy that learning. Focus on the inputs One easy trap a lot of athletes fall into before a big race is they concentrate on the result they want to achieve, and lose sight of what it’s going to take to get there. This happens more when there is tension building, especially for big events. This is often a result of our brains trying to find psychological safety by anchoring onto a tangible number to work towards. It’s great to have goals, and achieving a certain time or position may be your goal as it spurs you on to train hard and keep going. However, to truly unlock your potential and get yourself into ‘the Zone’, you need to focus on your inputs, articulating your goals as forward-looking statements rather than things you will achieve. For example, instead of saying “I am going to finish in the Top 50 of my age category”, rephrasing to “I am going to run consistently at 80-90% of my top speed for the first two-thirds of the race, then leave everything on the course for the final third” is going to give you a strong input to focus on, which may lead to achieving the position you desire. Another example would be around the phrase “I am going to keep my band.” Instead, make the agreement with yourself “to be fully composed before and through every obstacle I face.” followed by specific statements around what actions you will take to complete each and every obstacle. Thinking about what you are going to put in rather than what you want to get out will always set you up for success. Remember your Why This one may seem like a simple one, but the simplest concepts are often the most powerful. It can be easy to get caught up in the process of achieving the goals you set yourself and executing the training plan relentlessly to get there. You will make sacrifices. You may conflict with those you are close. You may get injured and work twice as hard to get back to the strength you previously had. All of which can limit your ability to perform because they are compromises you have had to make to get to where you think you want to be. Having clarity in your True Why well before you race can help you frame those compromises positively and take the pressure off yourself. It has to be your True Why though. Achieving a medal is not a True Why. It is a representation of your True Why. Your True Why could be achieving something that you didn’t think you could do. It could be you’ve had a life-threatening condition and achieving the medal proves to yourself that anything is possible. Thinking about what racing gives you, the reasons you got into it in the first place, and crucially the identity you want to have for participating all can help you gain clarity in your True Why, which can contextualise all the positive and negative emotions you experience around the race. To find your True Why, find a quiet space for 15 minutes with a pen and paper and answer this question – ‘Why do I do what I do?’. Note the thoughts you have down honestly, respectfully, and with positive intent, and at the end of the 15 minutes, finish the sentence “My true why is…” All the best in Canada. Graham www.ispiremotivationalcoaching.co.uk 01732 452404 Having clarity in your True Why well before you race can help you frame those compromises positively and take the pressure off yourself To truly unlock your potential and get yourself into ‘the Zone’, you need to focus on your inputs Photo: Ahmed Saffu Photo: Ethan Hoover Photo: Pineapple Supply Co.