As featured on Xtri
It's winter. Most key races are four to nine months away, and most training sessions are focused on building a base; workouts to write home about may be few and far between. As Luis Vargas recently wrote here on Xtri, during this early-season period, intrinsic motivation is especially critical, and serves as a psychological foundation behind getting the work done in a consistent and purposeful manner. Although it is slightly different for everyone, generally something deep down inside of us powers the 3-a-day sessions...the 15 to 20 hour weeks. There is no denying that an internal fire is critical to sustainability over the long haul, but it also helps to have some more tangible reminders of why we do what we do; especially when workouts may be in basements, and priority events are still well into the future.
One such tangible reminder that I often keep in the front of my mind is something that my first coach and initial mentor in the sport (and now professional triathlete, Doug Maclean) once told me prior to one of my first big races. He ended our pre-race talk simply by saying "trust your training."
Whether it be the night before or morning of a race, or midway through the run when we may second guess if we can really open up and drop the pace, there is an undeniable potential for anxiety and self-questioning in a window when things matter most; at race time. The best antidote to this common struggle is for an athlete to be honest with him or herself and trust their training. If they do that, they will have an undeniable confidence, and know exactly what to do.
This brings me back to why the saying trust your training has become such an important mantra for me at all phases of the season. Sure, banking the training hours now (e.g., in the middle of winter, on a trainer, in a small and cramped apartment) undoubtedly increases physical strength, but it has an equally important function of increasing mental strength too. While the former is widely recognized, it's the latter that tends to be overlooked, and may be just as important.
There are very few surprises in triathlon. Outside of things like flat tires and cancelled swims, the outcome in triathlon almost always reflects the preparation. It follows that if you want to be confident in the outcome (and sleep well before your races and have the guts to drop the pace when appropriate) you must be confident in your preparation.
You don't win races in June or July; you win races in February and March. And by putting in the work now, you not only gain the physical strength necessary to perform at your best, but also, the mental fortitude and confidence to draw upon that physical strength and use it to its fullest. Train now, so you can trust in it later.
