Here I am again, the week before a big race.  It’s like the night before a big exam, there isn’t anything I can do now training-wise to prepare myself….or is there?  I’ve always been a big believer in the power of positive thinking, but I noticed something about myself the other day quite contradictory to this statement when it comes to my upcoming race.  When asked if I feel ready for the Pikes Peak Ascent I find myself saying this: “I feel good about my training, I’ve had some great workouts/races lately that built confidence in my fitness and I feel as prepared as I can BUT a lot can go wrong on race day!”  Why is it always that and not “a lot can go RIGHT on race day?” The two are just as likely, especially given the preceeding statement about how good I’m feeling.Why does there always have to be a “but”?  I’m not sure why, is it that I don’t want to jinx myself? Whatever the reason,  I plan on changing that “but”.  I may not be able to change my fitness in the week before the race but I can focus on resting and tapering as well as proper nutrition and hydration. And I can work on my mental game. I’ve written before about visualization and I believe it helps, so I’ll be doing that in addition to staying positive. After all, a lot can go right on race day!

Click here to read previous blogs on Visualization and Mental Toughness and mental toughness.