My Top 10 Ironman Affirmations

For athletes, there is both a physical and mental aspect of triathlon training. If you feel good about a workout, chances are you interpret that mentally as success. I like to set you up for many little successes throughout our training together. Occasionally when you have a bad day, feel tired, or didn't get enough sleep, I try to get you past those unfortunate but few and far between times when you're just not yourself. My goal is for you to consistently believe in yourself more and more as the weeks go on so that you feel confident on race day.

Self-efficacy is defined as an individual's belief in his/her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. (spa.org) I don't know about you, but the more success I have with my daily workouts, the more confident I am on race day. When you work with me as your coach I do a lot of ground work before we start. Your athlete questionnaire tells me a lot about you both physically and mentally. I will challenge you with workouts at your current fitness level and build from there. As you get stronger and faster, you also become more sure of yourself and your abilities.

I'm not an expert in sports psychology, but I am a huge fan of affirmations to set yourself up for continued success. Affirmations are a great way to program your mind to tell you great stuff about YOU. They reinforce self confidence at the subconscious level. What better way to start believing good things about yourself than to TELL YOURSELF those things often. Below I have listed my top 10 favorite affirmations that I have used myself over many years of racing. Sometimes I tweak them depending on the needs of the individual athlete, but I find that repeating positive words to yourself can have a real impact on the way you think. Here ya go:

1. I am a well rounded athlete, confident and ready for this race.

2. It's normal to have butterflies on race morning. I can choose to turn this feeling into excitement instead of nervousness.

3. I have endured the pain of the run before and I will get through it again today.

4. I am a strong swimmer and have done dozens of long workouts. I will get through this swim even if the water is choppy.

5. I see myself riding smooth and confident on the bike.

6. I have practiced my nutrition during long workouts and I am confident my strategy will work.

7. I will focus on all things I have control over and not the things I don't.

8. I have a well thought out plan in case something unexpected happens.

9. I perform well under pressure.

10. I transition smoothly and quickly with a strategic set up.

These are just a few of my favorites. You can use mine or make up your own, the key is to make your affirmations meaningful to you. You can record your own voice and play them back as you relax or maybe before going to bed. I hope that these will help you set yourself up for success at your next race.

Need a triathlon coach for your next event? Let me help you take your race to the next level. Shoot me a message HERE!