Race Lessons and Affirmations

Question: I had a terrible race last weekend. I thought I’d prepared well, but somehow it didn’t go according to plan. I’m really bummed. Any thoughts?

Answer: You need to understand that racing is an experiment. You can’t control the outcome. You learn from bad races to become a better swimmer, runner, whatever. The best of the best have an off day. But what separates the best from the rest is a high tolerance for learning. Perhaps you weren’t rested enough or you were overtrained. If you’re experiencing a lot of stress with work or family, this could tire your body and lead to a lackluster performance. Don’t get too uptight over what happened in your performance. Learn and focus on possible contributing factors. Every time you race, it’s like going to school.

Question: What’s an affirmation and how does it work?

Answer: An affirmation is a statement that strengthens your direction and purpose. Try affirming where you are or where you want to go in terms of fitness. It stimulates the nervous system into responding. The nervous system responds to two things: what you see visualization, and what you say (affirmation). When you make firm a positive direction, the nervous system increases the chances of something positive happening. Conversely, a negative affirmation tends to sabotage your efforts to go forward.