As endurance athletes, we are always pushing the limits of our bodies – both physically and mentally. We are fearless self-explores that want to see what we are capable of doing. The true challenge is not only the competition between you and the course, or between you and the clock but between you and your mind. This causes us to not only be physically fit but mentally tough. That’s why today we are tackling being comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Are you mentally tough as an athlete or are you one of your own worst enemies? Success in endurance sports is all about your mental ability to deal with pain, fatigue, and lactic acid build-up. It’s about your capability to go above the limits that you think you are capable of.
One of the first mental obstacles that you must address in endurance sports has to do with motivation. Do you obtain that inner drive to do what’s necessary to achieve success? Do you have a meaningful and achievable goal that keeps you focused and moving in the right direction through the brutal and sometimes tedious grind of training? Without a personal “why” or a big goal, your motivation will most definitely fade. You have to be honest with yourself and ask yourself daily, is my goal important enough for me to sacrifice and hurt right now? Far too many athletes trade what they want the most, for how they feel right now, at the moment.
The first step is always the most uncomfortable. All you have to do is show up. Lace up those shoes and head out the door. The battle is half-won if you just get out the door. I get it. It’s uncomfortable to start something. Once you start your workout, you may want to quit immediately. Whenever you start something, it sucks. Remind yourself that you made a decision. You are already committed and there is no going back.
You’ve set your goals, and you have started. You’re not seeing results. It’s difficult, and it hurts. You want to quit. It’s okay and to be expected. Just keep pushing forward. You’re going to start thinking of a way out. Don’t do it. Don’t give yourself an out, no excuses. The point when you are just about to give up is the precise moment when the other guy gives up. At some point, you are going to ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” You better have an answer. Remember what your motivation is!
At some point, you are going to say to yourself, “I’ve never done this before” whether it is hitting a certain pace, or going a long distance and it’s going to hurt. This means that you have to know how to control your focus when you begin to hurt and how to neutralize the negative thinking and self-doubts that almost always come along with the pain.
You hurt, you are uncomfortable–deal with it. And don’t just deal with it– welcome it. You know the feeling, just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, it appears “the suck”. This is what makes you tougher, it has arrived to make you better. Instead of complaining, celebrate the blessing that is the suck. You are building your mental and physical toughness.
Consistently practice pushing the envelope. You have to be willing to regularly bust your butt get up and do it again. That is it, you must live the winner’s creed, get comfortable with being uncomfortable!
Why did you choose to be an endurance athlete? Maybe as you trained for your first endurance event you felt certain qualities growing within yourself: good health, the ability to accept pain, the ability to face difficult situations, the ability to deal with failure…and simply the ability to endure in a tough world!
READ MORE: HOW TO IMPROVE CONCENTRATION AS A TRIATHLETE
Carly and Tyler Guggemos built Organic Coaching in 2014 with a simple philosophy that works. The idea is to take what you have and grow it to get faster, fitter and stronger. And to do it with the time you have – not the time you wish you had.
For athletes who are ready to take their training to the next level while still thriving and succeeding in their professional and family life.
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