multisport event, it’s not fair to expect that you would feel so confident – it’s brand new! But, if you have willingness, then you will know that you can feel nervous and still go for it. There’s a saying that you can’t feel courageous unless you experience fear – and the same goes for confidence. So, give a multisport event a try, and then, like me, you’ll want to try it again and again.
Q: Dear Dr. Greene,
Often times when I am running, swimming or biking I reach a point where I don’t think I can continue any longer. My legs get tired and I start to drag. How can I push myself mentally when racing?
-Maria (age 15) A: Maria,
Great question! The best way to manage those feelings when you don’t think you have one more step in you is to prepare for it beforehand. You might think that planning for bad things to happen is asking for trouble. Actually, the evidence shows that the opposite is true. Even professional triathletes encounter moments in races where their negative thoughts outweigh positive ones, but they know to expect it. Thus, they are good at giving their doubts no more attention than they deserve. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, you should try to break down the race into smaller, more manageable segments. Rebeccah Wassner, a pro triathlete, sometimes chunks a race into very small goals (make it to the next tree, swim to the first buoy) to keep her focus on what’s possible versus what her mind might convince her is impossible. The other strategy Rebeccah and others use is to keep overriding their current doubts with an awareness of why they are participating in this event (e.g., to be in shape, to try something new, to have fun, to support a charity). Chunking the race and remembering the purpose why you chose to do the event in the first place are helpful strategies that you can remember before you start your race so you know just what to do when you feel like you want to stop. I guarantee, Maria, that one of the lessons multisport events will teach you is that you are capable of much more then you think you are, and you can only experience this if you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and try an event.
Dr. Mitchell Greene is a sport and clinical psychologist located in Wayne, Pa. He is the sport psychology consultant to the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon and the SheRox Triathlon series. To get more information on Dr. Greene’s practice, please go to
www.greenepsych.com. Dr. Greene would like to thank Anna Connolly for her assistance in answering these questions.
There are 975 USA Triathlon clubs across the United States that you can join! They offer a fun atmosphere that gives you the opportunity to meet new friends, all while participating in multisport!
USA TRIATHLON YOUTH GUIDE
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