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How to Stay Mentally Fit All Season

1) Take a mental break:
• Stress in life often piles up on us quicker than we expect. Find ways to mentally relax.
• You cannot train all the time. Plan some non-triathlon vacations and family time that will force you to take a break.
• If you have a recovery day, TAKE IT! Easy days should be easy so that the hard days can be hard.

2) Don’t “overbook” yourself:
• Don’t plan to train 20 hours a week when you know you only have time for 14 hours. Sleeping 7+ hours is the key to physical and mental recovery.
• Unless triathlon is your job, life comes before training.

3) Sacrifice for the sport, but be smart about it:
• Triathlon requires a lot of sacrifices. However, don’t attempt to sacrifice something you know you can’t live without.
• Sacrifice things that will unclutter your life.
• Moderation is key. Instead of going to happy hour with your co-workers 3x a week, maybe just go once!

4) Set Goals, then Race:
• Goals will keep you on track and give your training real purpose.
• Nothing excites or motivates triathletes like racing. Get out there and do races, even the small local ones.
• Keep the momentum going by racing and setting new goals every month. But be careful that you don’t overdo it! A qualified coach can usually guide you to the perfect amount of racing in a season.

Physical fitness goes hand in hand with mental fitness. And race day is just as much about your mental fitness, as it is about your physical fitness. Meaning, if you have nothing in the tank mentally, you will not perform!

Author:
Christopher J Lee
AJ Baucco Triathlon Coach
Former Head Coach CU Boulder Swimming
NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
FMS Functional Movement Systems Lvl 1
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Stages Cycling Certified
https://peakathleticperformance.org/