Dealing with "Stuff" on Race Day
Stuff always seems to occur during training and racing whether its a flat tire, choppy swim conditions, a dropped water bottle or oppressive heat on the run. Sometimes we can control the stuff and sometimes we cant.
I once heard triathlon legend David Scott give a powerful, yet simple piece of advice: Be in the moment. In other words, focus on what you can do in the here and now instead of dwelling on what has already happened in the past or worrying about what might happen in the future.
When faced with the stuff that we inevitably all face while training or racing, the choice we have as athletes is how we respond to the "stuff" whether we get angry and frustrated or whether we simply shrug it off and focus on the next moment of the race. By being in the moment and not reacting to or dwelling on stuff, it is much easier for us to move forward and achieve success.
What obstacles or challenges have you faced in the past during training or racing and how did you respond to them? How could you have responded differently?