SportsPsychologist.com Blog by Dr Victor Thompson

If we believe that what we are doing (or taking) is having a positive impact on performance or recovery (and then performance), then to stop would mean harming performance and who wants to do worse or make things more difficult? There is pressure to perform well: From sponsors, team management, team mates, and the public/fans. Can you perform up to those expectations, live with the consequences of not meeting those expectations, or will you give in to the temptation of taking something illegal to give you more confidence in your performance? The fear of failure is a strong one. There are personal and professional needs to be satisfied. Athletes are competitive. Some have a strong need to be successful, gain glory, be seen on TV, be accepted, praised, beat a key rival, show that our training has been worth it, that we are as good as or better than before... It’s tempting then to take something that would help us deliver and satisfy these needs. We believe that others are doing it...

For many athletes, as the race comes closer and closer, confidence starts to evaporate and nerves start to build. Here are some tips for what the athlete can do in the lead-up to race day and on race day itself to have a smoother and more enjoyable day. Developing race confidence: Tip 1: Prepare by going through race simulations. Set up training to practice for the event(s) you’ve entered. Make your training physically and practically similar to the event. For a triathlete, then this means that you at least once swim, bike and run: • At the same speeds as you expect to in the race • Over the same distance (or close to the distance if it is a long triathlon) • On the same terrain (open-water swim, hilly or flat bike and run courses) • With the same equipment as you expect to use in the race If you aren't a triathlete, then run similar simulations in your sports where it is practical and safe to do so. Tip 2: Use your imagery skills to visualise yourself completing your event with th...