It's understandable that many Ironman athletes experience tremendous pressure to perform incredibly well on race day.
Far too many athletes arrive to a race fit, ready and prepared only to underperform compared to performances in training. It's likely that anxiety, fear or stress gets in the way.
Far too many athletes enter race week in panic mode and change the winning formula. Rituals and routines that were once in place to build confidence for race day or quickly replaced with haphazard, last-minute decisions and changes - all due to worry, fear and self-doubt. Sure, the Ironman World Championship is a big spectacle but racing with an outcome focused mindset can paralyze your abilities to have a great performance.
Fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons why athletes choke under pressure. Worrying about an outcome is a big source of pressure for athletes. Beyond a finishing time or place, many athletes worry about what others may think about them - not wanting to disappoint a coach, friends, teammates, family or training partners.
If you feel like your mind is constantly getting in the way when you need to perform, it may be because you are used to always performing in safe and controlled conditions - always trying not to have a bad workout or race.
Familiarity builds confidence. Trust yourself. When you want to do your best, rely on what you intuitively know. Let it happen, don't force it to happen.
Don't worry about how others will react to your performance. Remove the high or strict expectations that you place on yourself. Unrealistic or perfectionist-like expectations can sabotage your ability to intuitively perform. Manage your thinking. Focus on the process. To deliver your best performance when it counts, release the worries, doubts and fear of failure. Don't let yourself get in your own way.
