More Ironman Affirmations
I had an outpouring of views on my blog post My Top 10 Ironman Affirmations https://www.marinewifemultisport.com/single-post/my-top-10-ironman-affirmations, so in this post I am going to give you more of what you asked for. For the past several months, I have been enjoying researching the mind/body connection. I have watched many YouTube videos on this subject, listened to several podcasts, and even listened to a few books on the subject. My conclusion is this: Train your mind and your body will follow. Have you ever heard the quote by Henry Ford that reads, “Whether you think you can or can’t you’re right.” This is powerful and I feel it applies to most situations, including iron distance racing.
Like I said previously, it is always important that my athletes experience daily success in their workouts. This builds confidence little by little and makes the “A” race a whole lot less daunting. My goal is for you to consistently believe in yourself more and more as the weeks go on so that you feel confident on race day.
Self-efficacy is defined as an individual's belief in his/her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. (spa.org) As you get stronger and faster, you also become surer of yourself and your abilities. Affirmations can help you internalize your successes and use them to your advantage in a race situation. By repeating them over and over in a relaxed and calm setting, I feel that this sets the brain up for mental and emotional success, in addition to the physical.
As I mentioned before, affirmations are a great way to program your mind to tell you great stuff about YOU. Using the mind-body connection, they reinforce your self-confidence at the subconscious level. What better way to start believing positive things about yourself than to TELL YOURSELF those things often? It’s ok of you don’t like meditation, you can always read these a few times in a quiet setting and reflect on them, or write them in a notebook.
Below I have listed more Ironman Affirmations broken down by swim, bike, and run. You can tweak them to fit your particular situation. I think you will find that repeating positive words to yourself can have a lasting impact on the way you think. Why not practice filling your mind with good stuff before race day?
Here ya go:
Swim Affirmations:
1. I am a strong and confident swimmer.
2. I have put in thousands of yards in the pool and I am confident and ready for this swim.
3. The conditions of the swim are the same for everyone.
4. If I feel anxious in the water I will remain calm because I have a bulletproof plan.
5. My wetsuit is an added layer of floatation and protection and will help me swim faster.
6. If the water is choppy so be it. I am an excellent swimmer.
Bike Affirmations:
1. I have put in many hundreds of miles for this race and I am feeling confident on the bike.
2. My bike nutrition is dialed in and I am well prepared.
3. If I get a flat I know how to fix it with confidence.
4. I will not fear if the course is windy. I’ve pushed through wind before.
5. I won’t stress about the things I have no control over.
Run Affirmations
1. I have endured the pain of the run many times before and I will make it through it again.
2. I know exactly what nutrition I need for the run.
3. My body is well trained for this run and I feel confident and ready.
4. I always perform well under pressure and this time is no different.
5. The conditions are the same for everyone.
6. I visualize myself crossing the finish line with confidence.
I hope you find these useful. Take them and apply them to your personal race situation. Say them over and over again before sleep or in a relaxing area of your home so that you begin to internalize them. I wish you much success!
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Mary Timoney
Ironman University Certified Coach
USA Cycling Coach
ACSM Trainer
