Fitter Radio Episode 541 - Mental Fitness in Endurance Sports

Rachael Cunningham won the free race entry to IRONMAN New Zealand. We find out more about her.

We explore the crucial role of mental fitness in endurance sport and its significance for both performance and recovery. We discuss how athletes handle pre-race anxiety and stress differently and the mental resilience required in elite adventure racing where cognitive stamina and decision-making under duress are as crucial as physical ability.

We share insights from an episode of That Triathlon podcast with certified psychologist Stuart Holliday, who specializes in working with endurance athletes. Stuart discusses the o of self-talk and the need for athletes to conduct a robust self-assessment, examining their psychological approach before, during and after races. 

We introduce Matt Fitzgerald's book "How Bad Do You Want It?" as a resource for understanding and improving mental toughness in the face of adversity. We examine key concepts such as the central governor theory by Tim Noakes, discussing the role of the brain and mind in athletic performance. We also explore the notion that athletes don’t encounter their true physical limits due to a maximum tolerance for perception of effort. While some individuals possess an innate ability to push past their perceived limits, for most, this is a skill that can be developed. We touch on cases where athletes perform significantly better on race day compared to their training sessions, suggesting a psychological component that unlocks higher intensity and effort levels.

Lastly, we consider the role of psychology in recovery, discussing practices like yoga nidra and meditation, which can aid in activating the parasympathetic nervous system for improved rest and digestion.

(0:00:00) – Aero testing with Jack Moody

(0:06:20) – Psychology and how it relates to endurance sports

(0:12:58) – Rachael Cunningham

(0:19:46) – Infinit Nutrition 10% discount for all listeners with the code FITTER10

(0:20:06) - ULTRO Earbuds 15% discount for all our listeners with the code ULTRO15 

(0:20:18) – Hexis competition promotion

(0:20:36) – Intro to Stuart Holliday excerpts

(0:24:26) – Stuart Holliday excerpts

(0:37:48) – Intro to Matt Fitzgerald excerpts

(0:41:09) – Matt Fitzgerald excerpts

LINKS:

Infinit Nutrition 10% discount using the code FITTER10 at  https://www.infinitnutrition.com.au/ Note: For the code to work you need to have created an account and be logged in.

ULTRO Earbuds 15% discount using the code ULTRO15 at https://www.ultroaudio.com/

IRONMAN New Zealand at https://www.ironman.com/im-new-zealand

Hexis at https://www.hexis.live/

That Triathlon Show - Psychology and triathlon performance with Stuart Holliday at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts364/

Matt Fitzgerald book ‘How Bad Do You Want It?’ at https://www.amazon.com.au/How-Bad-You-Want-Psychology/dp/1937715418

Clip to Bevan’s full interview with Matt Fitzgerald at https://share.snipd.com/snip/c5a0c935-be38-43e0-a5fb-50e721b2adb3

Huberman Lab at https://www.hubermanlab.com/

Dr Andrew Huberman’s Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) Protocol at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGrmY8OSHM