SideNote from Coach Jen: As I have retired from the sport of triathlon, I still have a strong mindset, when it comes to finishing a HIIT workout or going for a run, or knocking out a hard yoga move. Once an athlete, always an athlete. I think there is one thing I could do better as a coach, is to truly start digging deep with my athletes to work on their mindset. I know it can be a lot of work but that tipping point for me in 2017 was what I needed. I stopped thinking and started doing! The rest is history. Interested in joining the team? Click HERE to apply today! 

“Rulon Rules” to Changing your Mindset

In 2017, there was a whole lot of “right” in my world, as it was that epic year for me! Ironman Mont Tremblant. Qualified for the Ironman World Championship. Participated in the Ironman World Championship. It was a 28-year-old dream!

So many people asked me what changed or what I did differently? 

First of all, I had a fantastic coach that provided a pretty thought-out plan. 

Second of all, I did the fucking work. I made it happen. I pushed hard, and I learned how to “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.” 

Last but not least, I learned how to change my mindset, and honestly, this was a “tipping point” in my training. Let me explain.

Why the Right Mindset is Everything When it Comes to Triathlon Training & Racing

If you plan on having an EPIC year, what do you need to do to make that happen?

Answer: It is all about your mindset and how you approach a goal and go after your training.

According to the 2015 USA Triathlon Membership Report, over 432,447 triathletes signed up for an annual membership and daily memberships! That’s INSANE! 

Here we have over 430,000 people doing a triathlon but let me ask y’all this:

1. What is the percentage of these triathletes that succeed? 
2. What do they recognize as their success?
3. What is the ratio of these triathletes that accomplished what they wanted to achieve? 

We don’t have these statics, but some athletes did not succeed in their goals or accomplish what they wanted to achieve. So what happens? We hear fucking excuses. 

• Genetics
• Training Program
• The Race
• Nutrition
• Equipment

The mind tends to “stop” before the body does but let’s talk about mindset first! 

How Your Mindset Changes the Game

The reality is that you can have the worst genetics in the world, following the worst training program, but if you are vigilant and you stick at it, then you should still see results. Even if you do a triathlon and it didn’t go your way due to getting hit in the head in the swim or bonking on the run, but you crossed that finish line, you did it! 

The single key factor is that you stuck it through to finish the triathlon. 

The Biggest Mistake People Make

So how do you change your mind precisely? 

What is this big mistake that so many people make?

One of the most significant problems is that many of us want results too fast. We want to see a change in our physique now, and thus we start training like Crowie or Chrissie, and after the first triathlon, we didn’t win (Granted, Chrissie may not have been the best example there!) 

Of course, all this does is make us incredibly exhausted stressed and prevent us from enjoying triathlon possibly and WHY we decided to do it in the first place.

What happens next? We give up. 

Here are my “Rulon Rules” to Changing your Mindset:

1. Figure out WHY you are doing triathlons training and racing!
2. Get consistent with your triathlon training plan so that you can see results. 
3. “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.” It is going to HURT to get faster. Trust me! 
4. Remember, it is going to take time. That is OK! You have time to get faster. You have time to improve. You are going to live your life anyway!
5. Start visualizing your race, your training, and stop with the damn excuses. Do you want to improve or stay mediocre?

Your call! 

Interested in my triathlon coaching? Apply HERE to see if we are a fit!