It's Just the First Step...

MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 8 JULY '25

Racing is in full swing during the heart of summer, and I’ve been having frequent conversations with athletes about the mounting pressure of race performance expectations and their next steps.

For many athletes, the training journey has spanned over six months or more, leading up to their highly anticipated “A” race. They’ve sacrificed “sleep-ins,” vacations, weekend excursions, and late-night celebrations with friends. Many have invested a significant amount of money in coaching, equipment, nutrition, and recovery programs, all aimed at enhancing their performance in this upcoming race.

Mentally, athletes have committed to consistency by consistently showing up for training. They’ve had to persevere, sometimes through sheer willpower, the challenges of enduring tough training sessions. Throughout this process, they’ve experienced progress, improvement, and gained newfound confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles.

However, as the “big race” approaches, questions begin to creep into their minds:

“Have I done enough to be successfull?”

“If my performance falls short of my expectations, was it all worth it?”

“I’m becoming increasingly nervous - can I even do this?”

Or,

“What happens after the event?”

“I’ve transformed my entire lifestyle for the better - will I lose it all after the race?”

“I must find something else to schedule right away - what if I can’t find it?”

It’s a lot to handle, but my advice is simple: this upcoming race is just the first step in a new journey that lies ahead.

It’s an opportunity to celebrate our new lifestyle, learn as much as possible about ourselves and our race plan, and enjoy (albeit in a “suffering” sort of way) the incredible experience that awaits us.

For this big race, we should:

- Focus on what we can control and acknowledge what we cannot.

- Remind ourselves of why we’re doing this in the first place.

- Find the joy of “play” once again by removing any fear of “perceived failures.”

For what comes next, we should:

- Reframe the upcoming race as our “first step” in a wonderful new journey ahead.

- Focus on each and every present day and reflect on our progress.

- Allow and accept a period of “down time” after the race to recover physically and mentally.

Sometimes, we need to take a deep breath, acknowledge all our successes, even those that occurred during periods of ‘failure’, and understand that it’s always about the journey, not the end goal, that shapes us and helps us grow. It’s about the days it took to reach the summit rather than the summit itself. And isn't that life?