psychology and racing

[mrcharly-YHT]

Kayaking and rowing are incredibly technique-heavy sports. You simply can't do well without near-perfect technique; correspondingly, people with relatively poor strength and V02 Max can (and do) beat muscular, fit people who have poor technique.

One of the people who (occasionally) coaches at my club said "Technique is the thing you can rely on. When your strength has gone completely, good technique can keep you going.".  Trouble is, if your arms have turned to overcooked noodles, maintaining good technique is very difficult!

[bludger]

My rowing coach used to have all kinds of brilliant technical cues which can't really be shared on YACF.

One of my favourites was ""do you have a pact with the fishes - is that why you don't put your blade in the water?"

http://www.twrc.rowing.org.uk/slug/coaching.htm

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I perform better when not under competitive pressure, which is probably why I've found a natural home in Audax.  When I'm trying to win, I tense, get stressed, make poor judgements and generally underperform. 

My best 100 mile time trial was done after a poor night's sleep, I didn't feel great at the start, my cycle computer wasn't registering properly and when I tried to adjust it whilst riding pushed it into the spokes where it went flying off into the middle of the A11.  Without any data I just concentrated on going as hard as I thought sustainable and set a 15 minute PB, which is to this day (and probably forever)  not only my fastest 100, but a faster average speed than my fastest 50. 

That psychology also applies for me at work, in big pitches, major presentations, or writing reports I have to find the right balance between caring about what I am doing and not giving a s**t.  If I worry about how important the event is or what it means to me, I'll underperform.  If I can convince myself that it doesn't matter, I'll probably nail it.

But I know from experience that's different for other people.