So you’ve decided to take your game to a new level. You’ve run some marathons, a sprint triathlon or two, and now you want a new challenge. You want to go for the Ironman. There are plenty of training materials out there to get you on track toward peak conditioning. Depending on your budget, there are plenty of “gee whiz” gadgets out there to enhance your performance. But where do you go if you want to get yourself in the right mental state? How do you get yourself mentally prepared for a race that is as strenuous as the Ironman?

The folks at Endurance Nation, www.endurancenation.us , have put together four tips on how to be successful at race day. Bottom line, “race day is about execution, not fitness.” In other words, you have spent months on the physical fitness, but if you are mentally ready to execute on race day, you won’t be successful.

Below are the highlights. Details can be found here:

1. Execution
There is a need to generally understand the importance in timing at each stage, how to execute between stages, and know where you can or con not make up time. Perform poorly on the bike. That may be a 15 minute set back that can be made up for in the 26.2 run. Perform poorly in the run and it could end up being a very long run.

2. The Line
Everyone will reach a Line on the last leg where continuing to run at the same pace, or just continuing to run at all, will become very, very difficult. Your focus on Execution above is critical to help create conditions for success at the Line. Success at this point it defined as not slowing down.

3. The Box
Your method of executing and creating conditions for success at the Line is to use your Box. The space inside this Box is defined by what you can control. What you eat, the amount of sleep you get, your equipment, are all items you control, and thus in the box. Other competitors and the weather are out of your control and thus outside the box.

4. The One Thing
As your race day continues, you will eventually hit the Line. It's at this point that your body begins to debate, very loudly, with the mind. Unless you have a very clearly defined goal or compelling reason why you must continue, your body wins and your day will start...to get...very...long. Keep this goal or motivation in mind and use it as a lifeline that will bring you to the finish.


Number 4……No truer words have been said. In my last marathon, I got into some pain early but I kept myself going because I did not want to be seen as someone who walked a marathon. It was a pride thing for me, but it was my motivation that kept me going.