Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
As I approach a weekend with a DB Athlete undertaking another massive challenge (their second 100 mile Ultra in 6 weeks) the subject of managing your mindset during a BIG event is clearly on my mind.
So… I’m sharing one of my favourite concepts, first introduced to me by ‘The Iron Cowboy’ James Lawrence during his “50” challenge where he completed 50 IronMan distance triathlons in 50 US States in 50 days.
This is the Concept of: “Don’t Get Too High. Don’t Get Too Low”
The ability to regulate emotions and maintain an unwavering mental focus can separate the champions from the also-rans in grueling endurance competitions.
While physical preparation is crucial, how you manage your mindset and psychological state during the inherent ebbs and flows is equally vital.
This emerging philosophy emphasises cultivating a even-keeled, balanced state of mind – steadfastly avoiding the pitfalls of overconfidence during high points and despondency during low points.
Here are some key aspects of this mindset approach:
Emotional regulation: Endurance events involve physical and mental ups and downs. The theory suggests regulating emotions to avoid getting carried away by momentary feelings, whether positive or negative, which could disrupt pacing and focus.
Consistency: Maintaining a consistent level of effort and concentration is considered ideal, rather than expending too much energy in bursts of over-enthusiasm or letting negative emotions drain commitment.
Pacing: Getting too high can lead to starting out too fast and burning out prematurely. Getting too low can cause one to slow down unnecessarily or even give up. An even pace matching one’s training is recommended.
Objectivity: The idea is to objectively assess the situation at each point, without the extremes of over-optimism from temporary good feelings or despair from temporary setbacks.
Resilience: Avoiding emotional peaks and valleys can help cultivate resilience to overcome the inevitable challenges that arise.
The ultimate goal is to stay level-headed, stick to one’s race plan, and persist with determination throughout the ups and downs until the finish line.
Proponents believe this balanced mindset allows athletes to perform closer to their full potential over the entire distance.
If you want to truly become the best athlete you can be, you have to first master and the weaponise your mindset and this is a key asset.
Body Comp Stats My weigh in is on a Sunday morning at the end of each week and as we were out the door at 6am on Sunday for an Ultra race I didn’t weigh in!
Mon: 12:15pm 6 Hour Hell Session
Last Monday of each month between now and the IronMan is Hell Session Day 🙂 Workout 1: 6 rounds of 30 cal Ski Erg and 15 Double 10kg DB Front Squats. Rest 1:1. Workout 2: Accumulate 5 Minute Wall Sit (total time to achieve = 7:26) Workout 3: Accumulate 10 Minute in Dead/Active Hang off rig (I broke this into 2 sessions doing the last 4 minutes after workout 5). Attacked this Tabata style hanging for 20 secs, dropping for 10 secs and repeating. Workout 4: Build to a heavy set of 5 Deadlifts and then 5 x 5 @ 80% – this one was cut short as my back wasn’t playing. At 45kg I could feel my back pulling despite good technique so not worth pushing through. Workout 5: 8 Rounds of approx 1km run loop and 15 squats… in my weight vest! This one was done in the pouring rain and one of my favourite workouts as I love running in the rain. That doesn’t mean it was easy, I just really liked it.
Workout 6: 3k Assault Bike + 50 Bar Facing Burpee 6k Assault Bike + 40 Bar Facing Burpee 9k Assault Bike + 30 Bar Facing Burpee 12k Assault Bike + 20 Bar Facing Burpee 15k Assault Bike + 10 Bar Facing Burpee Total time = 1:50:35 This workout was the worst thing my coach, Kerry, has ever programmed for me. I told her as much and she looked very pleased with herself. Maybe if I had done it first it would not have been so bad and pretty much after finishing it I was considering when I would do it again to test that theory!
Tue: Rest Day
Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class + 2 mile run
Same as usual, coach a 45 min cycle class and head out the door for a run. Not much more to say really 🙂
Wed: 1pm Pull Up and Push Up work
Again, with my friend Amy we worked through 5 as slow as possible Negative Pull Ups, a 10 minute Pull Up EMOM of 3 strict banded reps and a 10 minute Push Up EMOM.
Thu: 9:30 Indoor Cycle Class
Week 5 of my programme sees the return of the Power Pyramid, the first indoor cycle session I ever created and 5 years later it still forms an integral part of the periodised programme. It is a brilliant session for increasing both aerobic and anaerobic fitness and improving recovery. Who doesn’t want that.
Thu: 6:30 Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class
Power Pyramid take 2… oh my god I nearly died on the final round but the Coach By Colour system is a great motivator, especially when you are up on a platform with the entire class able to see if you turn down, slow down or give up.
Fri: Rest Day
Another extra rest day this week in preparation for the South Coast 50 on Sunday… a 50km+ ultra race.
Sat: Rest Day
Sun: 8am South Coast 50 Race
5 repping the Forza Fitness Squad today 🙂 It was quite simple… start is on the pier in Littlehampton and, via a self directed route with check points/aid stations roughly every 7 miles, run 33 miles back to Portchester Castle. I had a really lovely day on this run. Unfortunately the boy (My husband, Carl) voluntarily withdrew at mile 23 in Emsworth, but still hit his longest run distance to date so went home happy.
As you can probably tell from these training logs I don’t actually do what most would call traditional training runs, partly because I find them quite boring but mainly because of the way I train I don’t feel the need. I don’t care enough about pace and times to give up my other training (or time at home with the boy and the dog) to hit the pavement. I run for enjoyment enjoy. I can comfortably run decent distances and thats enough for me. I get asked quite a lot about why (and how) I rock up to these endurance events without properly training for them and my answer is that I do train for them, just not how most people expect. If I was more competitive, or cared more, or wanted to focus just on running, I could probably become a much better runner but honestly, who cares. I definitely don’t. In a year, a month, or even a years time will it matter how fast I ran this race? No it won’t, What I will remember is having a brilliant day out with my husband and my friend Claire, who, until this race I hadn’t spent any one on one time with and now know much better.. I am very grateful for this and means more to me than a time.
