Make big gains with this expert advice from endurance legend Rebecca Rusch and sport psychologist Dr. Chelsi Day. – By Jen See

Part of the joy of cycling is pushing your limits. There’s a special satisfaction in achieving something big, whether it’s winning a race or finishing your longest ride ever. But just as you need to train your legs for your big event, you should also prepare your mind.

Dr. Chelsi Day, a clinical and sport psychologist, and Rebecca Rusch, a past mountain bike marathon world champion, have different backgrounds, but they both preach the importance of training your brain to reach your potential on the bike.

Here’s their best advice for how to get mentally fit and stay focused when the going gets tough.

Visualise the Route

Careful preparation can make the difference between hanging tough and hanging it up. If possible, pre-ride or drive the route you’re planning to ride. Sports psychologists have found that visualising and mentally rehearsing your effort has the same effects on your brain as actually doing your ride. Rehearsal lays down a mental map for you to follow.

Find Your Routine, Avoid Superstitions

Pre-race rituals help set the stage for success. You might pack your bag the same way for every event or do the same warm-up routine – rituals help focus your mind. “Like, Pavlov’s dogs responded when they heard the bell, we’re the same way,” says Day.

While rituals set you up for success and make you more mentally resilient, superstitions trap you. If you lose that lucky charm or can’t find the perfect breakfast food, you’re set up for failure rather than success.

Break Up Big Efforts

A long ride or hard interval can feel overwhelming. For Rusch, who competes in events that can run as long as twelve hours, it helps to break the ride into segments. “I’m not thinking about seven hours from now when I’m going to finish the race,” she says.

Focus on a shorter chunk of the ride or small effort that feels doable. Maybe it’s the opening 10 miles of your first century or three switchbacks of a long climb. For each section, try coming up with a different phrase or a mantra to get you through it. You might also dedicate a segment of your ride to someone who inspires you.

“It’s about giving us some kind of positive, motivating self-talk that focuses on that chunk and gives us a little piece of encouragement,” says Day. “Our bodies believe everything our minds tell us.”

Celebrate Small Victories

It can be easy to fall into a pattern of telling yourself not to stop, but Day cautions against introducing negative ideas into your mind. Once the idea of stopping gets lodged in your brain, it can be hard to block it. “Every stroke of your legs, it keeps going around and around,” says Day.

To keep your positive mantra front and center, try wearing a reminder. “Put four pieces of athletic tape on your arm,” suggests Day. “When you finish one section, rip one off and you have your next ready.” You could also attach short pieces of ribbon to your jersey or your bike. Day calls this technique “anchoring,” and it helps keep your focus on small, achievable goals.

Have Realistic Expectations

Even with the best preparation, there are plenty of factors you can’t control. According to Day, realistic goals can help you push through the inevitable, unexpected challenges. She suggests setting three levels of goals for your event.

Start with a “ring the bell goal” for when everything goes right. This is your perfect, dream ride. Then give yourself a second-level goal, so you won’t be discouraged if it rains or you wake up with less-than-perfect legs. The last level is your minimum. In some cases, this goal might simply be to make it to the finish.

“You can only fail if you don’t line up, or if you give up,” says Rusch. “Or you’re in the middle of the course, and you’re like, ‘Oh screw this, I’m going to go and get a milkshake.’”

Do What Works for You

“I think mental toughness is essentially trickery,” says Day. “How do we trick ourselves into continuing when every message your body is sending is to the contrary?” The answer to that question is different for every athlete and only you can crack the code on what rituals and motivating messages will get you from the start to the finish.

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