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An Ironman race is a long day, period. I don’t care how fast you are.  While you have been training your body to deal with the rigors of a 2.4mi swim, 112mi bike and a 26.2 mi run, have you been training your mind???

Mind over Matter
You’ve seen other people in the zone…in fact, you may have been there yourself. It could have been a marathon (or another IM race).  The endurance zone is where little else matters but your goal.  Usually found in the last 10 miles of the marathon, these are people so dialed in they go right by you without even acknowledging your screams of support. These people are locked in a battle, pushing their body beyond where it believes it can go.  These people are driven by their goal – the only thing pushing them past their discomfort.  You will have to face many tough challenges on your IM day – do you know why you are there? Are you ready with an answer? If your answer is NO, then you should spend some time outlining your purpose.  If your answer is YES, then spend some time rehearsing the inner dialogue so you will be prepared.

Execution
Have a clear sense of what you will do on the day. Spend the early morning minutes during your taper – when you are in bed or over breakfast – thinking about your race. What is the ideal race? How will you feel? What will you say to yourself? What will you do if “X” goes wrong? What is your strategy?  Spending the time now to develop your mental map for the race will put you a good place when something doesn’t go exactly to plan.  Remember: When presented with a problem or issue, slow down, and think about what you are going to do. Review your mental scenarios.  An IM is a long day – another 20 seconds in thought might actually save you time later! 

The X Factor 
Despite all the planning I just mentioned, all sorts of stuff goes wrong on IM day. I have forgotten my wetsuit in my condo on race morning; I have skipped special needs on the bike; I have forgotten my “race cocktail” in the house; I have forgotten sunscreen.  And I won’t even talk about weather issues!  Some of these episodes were my own fault; some of them were out of my control.  Either way, when they were committed, there was no going back. I had to act immediately and triage the situation. The bottom line: Control what you can control, let go of the rest.  It’s not worth it to gripe about the pouring rain/hail (IM USA anyone?), think: “What can I do to make the best of this situation?” and move on.

Staying the Path
You’ve felt it in training…the day after your 138 mile ride, you have to head out for a 2.5 hour run. The legs are lead.  Your head is clouded.  But somewhere in that first 30 minutes, things turn around. Your cadence picks up and life doesn’t seem so bad.  These training events have prepared you mentally for race day – when one minute you feel like a USPS team member and the next like someone is holding on to your frame to slow you down. Know this is coming. Know that you are ready. When it does come, manage what you can and let the rest slide.

IM 101 | IM 102 | IM 103 | IM 104 | IM 105

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