Any tips / reading material people could recommended?

I struggle badly with the “your not ready/fit/are fatigued so won’t do well in this race” issue a lot, and I’d really like to turn up and enjoy the day and the race for what it is rather than glowering at a “poor” result after the fact.

I’m racing on Sunday yet with a clear “training” rather than race oriented target – I already know Sunday evening will be gloomy…

Stop racing. Best advice ever 🙂

Cheers!
I.

“The Brave Athlete – Calm The F*ck Down And Rise To The Occasion” is a great read if you struggle with the mental side or training and racing, not *too* techy and written in a chatty accessible way

although there’s not much need to get beyond the title 🙂

I got a lot from Jerry Moffatts autobiog “Revelations”. Although he was a climber, all the sports psychology that he applied to himself to do the best he could should be applicable to any sport; things like accepting start line nerves, continual positive reinforcement and visualisation (including strategies for unexpected events, like misreading lines or feeling a bit off form…).

(edit: oooo amazon embedding.. fancy.)

He also co-authored a book specifically on this – Mastermind https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/publications/other_publications/mastermind_by_jerry_moffatt-9894 but I haven’t read it, so don’t know how transferrable it’d be.

I say this with all due respect and good intentions plus recognising from post history that we’re probably at opposite ends of some sort of personality trait line while both caring about how well we perform/ride/race etc ..
From what you say about racing mid-pack for training but still having an issue with the results – I wonder if you could do what you need for training outside of a race situation so you have nothing to lose and all to gain from the ability to JFDI for your own reasons – can you ride for 90 mins all-out just for the sake of how it makes you feel?
Do you ever see yourself racing/performing at a high enough level to give yourself freedom from needing to compare yourself to others any more?
Do you value your performance ability in itself, or only how it ranks against others?

(interested in the discussion rather than thinking I have anything to add from a psychological guidance pov, to be clear)

Chimp Paradox, by Dr Steve Peters – was BC sports psychologist and helped (amongst others) Victoria Pendelton. Amazon Link

Do you ever see yourself racing/performing at a high enough level to give yourself freedom from needing to compare yourself to others any more?

I do need to attain that.  I don’t think its a high enough level is the issue.  FWIW Sundays race isn’t of huge consequence as Its XCO B race and I’m focusing on XCM.  Winter training has gone well and “numbers” look better all over.  However I’m going in mid training block and therefore tired.  Spoke with my coach today who has set a strategy.  So in theory, I’ve nothing to worry about.

Yet for some odd reason I feel like I have to justify myself by explaining all that ^^. why?   I’d really like to turn up quietly, ride hard and be happy.  I don’t get why the mental problem with it.  Maybe stop writing it down would help.

Yup……….. “i already know Sunday evening will be gloomy.”

Mate….. That’s your Chimp talking.

Get yourself down to the local Sainsburys. They will have Steve Peters new book “Chimp Paradox for Kids” in stock.

Far more accessible than the original book. I DARE you to read it and NOT find something useful.

Actually, its a book you dont have to “read.” Lots of pics and diagrams in the kids version. No massive paragraphs like his first book. Within 5 minutes of dipping into it I think you will have at least 5 useful strategies to help sort your head out.

P.S. My Chimp is called Pat.

Sorry, Kryten. Just read your second comment. You have a “Coach?” He has mentioned Steve Peters, right?

You could try doing an ultra long ITT or something. You go through a lot of self discovery on those, and the only way to succeed is to forget all the bollocks and just pedal. Might help.

Do you do dummy races as training? Define a course in your local woods that’s like a race course, and just practice finding a level and keeping it there for three laps. Do that regularly, it’ll seem like less of a big deal at race time.

Sorry, Kryten. Just read your second comment. You have a “Coach?” He has mentioned Steve Peters, right?

yes and I’ve read it several times in the past.  Guilty as charged for not practising the advice TBH.

Do you do dummy races as training?

Kinda – I have weekend session which is “zone free”, road or MTB.  I often stick to MTB to keep technical skill fresh.

Outside of racing a CBT teaching was about “comparing” and not having grey areas in comparison – just read it again – I need to work on that!

I see no point in racing if you’re not actually going 100%

What’s to gain? Just go out riding at whatever pace you’re allowed, save money, save pressure and save being depressed.

I do need to attain that. I don’t think its a high enough level is the issue.

If it’s not (for ex) holding a certain level in a certain race series, or a consistent Cat 2 season etc, what would give you that ability to be free from comparing yourself to others/an ideal?

You could try doing an ultra long ITT or something. You go through a lot of self discovery on those, and the only way to succeed is to forget all the bollocks and just pedal. Might help.

Or, there’s a lot of waffle about self-discovery in ‘ultras’. Mostly just navel-gazing and I’ve done some of that I’m sure. Maybe it’s just that they’re often exceptional experiences. Doesn’t/shouldn’t forgetting all the bollocks and pedalling apply to any ride (inc Kryton’s average training race/ride)?

Maybe we perform best when in that moment between plan and action, the execution without thought, like the brief moment after the student is hit round the head by the master. FOCUS! Isn’t that what we ride for, snippets of that *instant* in a life where we’re rarely in the moment?

what would give you that ability to be free from comparing yourself to others/an ideal

This is extends beyond cycling and into personal issue, but general it would be recognition that I’m actually “good” at something.  Although I am beavering away to reduce the need for this to be prevalent.

…apply to any ride… …<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>the execution without thought… …snippets of that *instant* in a life where we’re rarely in the moment?</span>

I can think of many cycling an training moment when this has happened, maybe I just have pre season/race anxiety…

Try being good at just being happy.

I’m average at most things, but I’m exceptional at being happy

I’d really like to turn up and enjoy the day and the race for what it is rather than glowering at a “poor” result after the fact.

Have you looked into mindfulness at all? Instead of being concerned about the result, you could just focus on the process of riding or different bits of it. I sometimes just listen to the noise my tyres make on the trail and how it changes with different surfaces. Or focus on one aspect of your technique, braking maybe. Or cornering.

Anyway, there’s a difference between wanting to be ‘good’ and wanting to be ‘perfect’. One is attainable, the other simply isn’t. If you get them arse about face, you’re never going to feel fulfilled in those terms anyway.

What social side do you have at the races? Is it somewhere you can catch up with mates, talk bikes etc. or is it just turn up head down go home?

Sounds like you need to get some more out of the event, the post race banter can really help when your feeling down.

Or own the mid pack/back end of the field
If the image works…. Dead f Last
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/morvelo-dfl-short-sleeve-jersey/

Saw a bloke with a jersey that had on the back “If your reading this your probably last!”

Make the race not about the race.

Have a google for a book called Bounce. It is very insightful.

Or, there’s a lot of waffle about self-discovery in ‘ultras’.

I’m not talking about new agey bollocks. It’s about dealing with discomfort and the desire to stop pedalling, and hopefully gaining the ability to focus on the job. And also perspective – XC races don’t feel very long after having done a decent ITT. Then there’s the self respect you can acquire.

XC races don’t feel as long as a 10 never mind a long TT.

Being enjoyable helps.

XC race is totally different pace, methods and intensity to a 4 to 18 day race though. And I don’t think self respect comes any more from one discipline or another, that’s all about the individual. Playing in a football team could give you that also : )

Seems more a q of OPs perspective and rationalising what/why etc here?