2 out of 3 💫 Mind Tricks for Triathlon Racing
As a coach, I see athletes build their strength physically through swimming, biking, running, and lifting. How often do YOU as an athlete start building your mind for a better race?
Last month, we chatted about mental imagery self-talk. If you missed it, click here! This week let’s talk about goals and the breakdown of goals in the Ironman Triathlon world. If you ever took Sports Psychology, you may have heard of these goals before:
- Outcome Goals
- Performance Goals
- Process Goals
Let’s break it down, along with some examples:
Outcome Goals:
Definition: An outcome goal is something that is not in your control. The outcome goal is a BIG picture goal. Remember you can NOT control the other people that show up or the weather, right?
Example: I want to qualify for the 70.3 Ironman World Championship.
Performance Goals:
Definition: These are goals that you are trying to achieve, which will help you to get to your outcome goals. Ask yourself, how do you get to the “outcome” goal? What do you need to do to get there? What is the time that you need to get to the 70.3 Ironman World Championship?
Example: I need a time of ______ (fill in the blank) and here is my breakdown of the swim, bike, and run.
Process Goals:
Definition: These goals are the goals that YOU can control. They are the small steps to get your performance and your outcome goals. Ask yourself what do you need to do to get to that overall goal: Will you eat terrible food and not work out to get to the outcome goal? Probably not: You will make the right decisions to get to that goal.
Example: You need a time of _____ (fill in the blank), so how do you get there? Either you HIRE A COACH who gets you there, or research to figure out how to do it (self-coach). You WORK your ass off!
Sports Psychology 101. You are welcome! What now? Start breaking down your goals. You probably already signed up for your Ironman or 70.3 Ironman. That is the natural part. Now, let’s get into the outcome of that race, along with your goals for the sport and how you are going to get there!!!
