A quick glance at the super-human feats being accomplished by endurance athletes easily lends to the conclusion that it is rarely the body that is the limiting factor in human potential. How is it that for many people, the thought of running a 10K sounds crazy, yet for others an Ironman is just a training day for an Ultraman? In most cases, the difference is simply mindset and the willingness to push oneself past discomfort on a daily basis. As a good friend of mine, John Quinn, says "you need to come to terms with the pain of pushing your physical limits, my terms were making friends with the pain, and often it was the only "friend" I had on the course while I was out competing in the middle of the night with nobody around". John is the former world record holder in the double Ironman, triple ironman finisher, and ultra runner.
Endurance athletes, especially those competing in longer distances, will ALWAYS come to a point where the mind gets in the way of reaching your full potential. In fact, the mind is trained to do this! Physiological and hormonal changes that occur at certain points in exercise stimulate the mind to provoke thoughts of quitting, or at least slowing down. The inspiration behind writing this post came while reviewing 2012 Ironman run data files for myself and several other friends. What I saw was quite interesting!
Specifically, I was looking at the pace data and comparing it with the run course. Aside from the obvious fluctuations seen with hills, there was a very strong trend showing a significant slow down (and walking in most cases) several different times in the race, with no apparent topographical explanation. These fluctuations were not consistently at specific mileage markers, and I couldn't come up with much of a nutritional explanation for most of the people. There was almost no explanation...until I looked a little deeper.
What I found was that when racers reached a prolonged section of the course where there were no spectators, they slowed down, and often walked. It seemed to effect those that finished between 10 hours flat and 10 hours 45 minutes the most.
Internal motivation is vital to successfully completing an Ironman. To be the best, it is "THE" factor that makes you the best. Without it, you don't stand a chance. Every top professional triathlete I work with has internal motivation so strong it seems as if they are not humans. Their brains simply don't get in the way.
For those of us not racing for our livelihoods, the internal motivation typically isn't as strong. In fact, many are as externally motivated as they are internally motivated. Just look at all the "M Dot" tattoos around and how they are usually in a very visible part of the body. These are a strong indicator that for many, and possibly most, Ironmen and Ironwomen, external motivation is a strong factor.
When external motivation is a strong force in an Ironman, it is often spectators that fuel you. You don't want to be walking in front of spectators, you are one of a very small percentage of the toughest people on earth right? You want to prove it. But when the spectators are not around, suddenly finding motivation to push yourself through the pain becomes nearly impossible.
For most, there is a combination of external and internal motivation. It is often internal motivation that signs you up and keeps you going through the training. But, then when you get to mile 10 of the marathon, it is awfully difficult staying internally motivated and a shift occurs. I believe that the reason the most affected group in my data review were the 10-10:45 times is because this group is just outside of the time to qualify for Kona, they know by midway through the marathon that this is not going to happen, so the internal motivation recedes. In addition, they are typically running by very few people, as the masses are behind them. I was in this group in Ironman Canada this year. There were times where I was running almost completely alone. No spectators, no other runners near me. Just me. The thoughts begin to flood, "why push myself. I'm not going to Kona, and no one will see me walking". I remember it hurting badly to try to run when both my internal and external motivation were lacking. But then I would see spectators and suddenly the pain would decrease and I would be running again. The power of the mind is amazing.
It is important to note that my little experiment cannot be considered a study, but it shows some pretty interesting findings that coincide with many sports psychology studies.
Overcoming Mental Blocks
How do you overcome these "mental blocks" that can keep you from accomplishing your best? The answer is through training! Just as you train the body, you too must train the mind.
Before you go spend big dollars on new equipment shown to save 6 watts in a wind tunnel test, first make sure your mind is ready for a race. Spending money on the fastest gear can make a big difference in performance, but if you are walking most of the marathon, why spend the money. What really is the difference between finishing in 12 hours and 12:20? That gear makes a difference when you are looking at 9:50 and 9:30. That is the difference between racing and Kona or watching it on TV.
Training the mind is far too complex for me to take on in a blog, and is better left to a sports psychologist. Fortunately, technology has provided psychological training aids put together by sports psychologists that get the mental training process started. Neurofeedback, biofeedback, and other therapies are being used by many of the top athletes in the world, and proving very effective. With the growing body of evidence in Sports Psychology and the growing use among amateur athletes, look for more cost-friendly options to begin showing up. One such tool I was recently introduced to is the iPerformance App.
The iPerformance app includes an assessment that identifies mental characteristics related to performance that may be inhibiting you from performing at your highest level. It also has games and tasks to help you improve on your "weaknesses". It is my understanding this app is still under development, however it is definitely on the right track, and worth downloading now, especially given that it is free at the time I write this because the full development isn't completed. Get in now before you have to pay for it.
You can find the iPerformance App at http://www.iperformancepsychology.com/, or in the iTunes app store.
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