This past weekend, our junior team faced super tough swim conditions at the Clermont Draft Legal Challenge. Big waves and cross currents made the water feel like a washing machine that resulted in several elite athletes being pulled from the swim. What do you do when faced with tough conditions on race day?
When tough conditions are eminent, you have two choices – either see these conditions as a negative or see them as a positive. The fact is that about 70% of the field will see tough conditions as a negative. In turn, these 70% of athletes will race sub-potential, either from being mentally down or simply because they are racing overly cautiously. This is a huge opportunity!
I love tough conditions. By recognizing that 70% of the field is going to race sub-potential, tough conditions become a huge opportunity to place higher than we otherwise would have been able to do. I see tough conditions as a huge positive by recognizing this truth about how people will respond and believing (even if not true) that I am tougher than this 70%.
What are you going to do next time you are faced with tough conditions? Everyone has to deal with them and ultimately make a choice to see them as negative or positive – view as a positive and you very well might have your best race yet.
Be More. Live Red.
Michael Harlow
EF Founder & Head Coach
