Playing the Confidence Game: The Key to Building a Positive Attitude
Bicycle racing can be an incredibly difficult and punishing sport. Keeping a positive frame of mind under the most demanding conditions will often be the only thing that keeps you going. For most of us, the committee of mental spectators between our ears is seldom any help when the going gets tough. Training you mind to support your body is not all that difficult if you take a proactive approach to solving the problem. Actually you already do many of the things needed to improve you mental strength. All you need to do is fill in the gaps and change your perspective a bit.
The best weapon against the negative thoughts and mind game is your confidence. Bike racing is a game of decisions and when you commit yourself to a workout, or a tactical move or just to attend a difficult race you will benefit from your effort. Confidence can be hard to come by but it will always be the reward a good effort and job well done.
For a variety of reasons the riders lack confidence in their ability at critical times. There are two universal situations when riders let the negative thoughts shatter their confidence and affect their performance: when the pace is painful and when the odds seem to be stacked against you. In both cases the outcome is the same. The pressure comes off the pedals and the initiative goes out of the effort resulting in a performance that is short of expectations.
The mind games that spoil your day are nothing more than self-inflicted limitations based on past experiences that rob you of your confidence to succeed. A common trait with athletes is to believe that under similar conditions the outcome will always be the same. “The last time I tried this tactic the pack pounced on me like a pack of hounds and I got spit out the back, I won’t try that again”.
My head shrinking friends tell me that these mind games just are natural protective mechanisms against situations that are dangerous, uncomfortable or have produced past failures. Your negative thoughts are actually steering you away from potential harm or the embarrassment of failure. Bike riding is a game of risk taking and sometimes the best lessons are those learned when things don’t go your way. Avoiding risky situations often steers you off course and cheats you of a potentially valuable learning experience.
Often times a negative attitude is the result of ignorance. If you lack certain critical knowledge or proficiency in skills you cannot make good decisions in training and competition that will benefit your development. Over time you lack of knowledge will drag you down. Take the time to learn about the science and tactical aspects of the sport and make yourself a better rider. Knowledge is power and power builds confidence.
A rider without a plan is like a ship without a rudder. Now that was original. When one of my riders is going through a bad patch we drag out the periodization plan and goals and have a close look at their progress to date and use it steer them back on course. I have to be a cheerleader sometimes and remind them that they are making progress toward their goals and the “here and now” is just a small plateau along the way and staying on track will eventually lead them back to a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.
As a bike rider you have to except the notion that you cannot ride to your potential every time you saddle up. Our competitive spirit drives you and sometime it drives us crazy because we want to do better. Your development is a process that evolves over time as a produce of all the work you do. Having patience with the process does not diminish your desire it just tempers your expectations for a good result every time you ride and helps you appreciate the good days even more. Just think how bored you would get if you rode at top form all the time. Where is the challenge in that?
Resist the temptation to compare yourself to others. This is a sure receipt for disaster. For us mere mortals the reality is simple. There will always be at least a hand full riders who are stronger and better on any given day. Your best defense is to become the smarter rider. Oftentimes the smarter, not the stronger rider wins the bike race. Do everything you can to improve yourself before you let you mind convince you that you will never achieve you goals.
Find other ways to measure your progress and success that are more meaningful than race results and keep track of your progress in your logbook. You have to make the best use of the resources you have. You will improve over time and as more form and experience comes online you will become a better bike rider and have more success.
Finally, don’t be a quitter. Quitting is easy and gets easier every time you do it. The temptation to toss in the towel can be very strong sometimes and once you concede there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. Finishing what you started will build your mental and physical strength. I have never had a rider tell me they were proud for giving up. My coaching mentor, the late Mike Walden, was a Michigan native and he coached his riders to never give up no matter how hard it was. He called it fighting to the end like a Wolverine. Never give up and fight with every mental and physical skill you have to the bitter end. You will be a better rider for your effort.
One sure fire way to boost your confidence and improve performance is to maintain control over those things that are within your sphere of influence. Here are a few to refresh you memory:
**Organize your training to address those specific deficiencies that are holding you back and race your strengths.
**The ability to ride your bike well is totally within your control. Develop your skills and improve yourself as a rider.
**Have a basic plan for every session on the bike. From training rides to major stage races your plan for the day is your link to the preparation you have done. Following your plan to the best conclusion will give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your confidence.
**Develop a routine for the different kinds of racing venues you will visit. Being well organized will relieve you of a lot of the unnecessary turmoil that can distract you from the task at hand. Better concentration will help you race to your potential.
**Take some time after a race or hard training ride to identify the successes of the day and pat yourself on the back for your effort. No matter what happens you have to take something positive home from the race. Be proud of your accomplishments, especially the small ones, they really add up.
**Measure your progress with performance testing and confirm that all your hard work is having the intended result. This gives you confidence in your fitness when it comes time to race.
**Pick ALL your companions well. Hang around with people who think and act in the ways you are trying to develop. Ask them how they get it done.
Athletes can be really hard on themselves and once that ball gets rolling sometimes it is hard to stop it. My mother had a saying, “for every adversity there is planted a seed for greater benefit. I am the first to say that I have had a spectacularly average experience as a bike rider. I was never the strongest rider and the learning curve was always steep. It always motivated me to train harder and learn how to ride smarter and level the field a bit. As my knowledge and confidence grew my riding improved and brought me success that I otherwise would have missed.
You have to do your homework and discover whatever it is that will make you a better rider. Improving in these areas and experiencing the resulting success on the bike will give you more confidence than any visualization or meditation or relaxation breathing exercises. You will be a much happier bike rider and since you don’t get paid to suffer like a dog you need to be able end the day with a smile on your face and sense of accomplishment that will have you confidently looking forward to the next ride.