Shifting the Mind from Training to Racing

As we transition into the racing season I find it beneficial to actively shift my mindset as well. When the training modalities move from pavement to snow, and the training stimulus from higher volume into higher intensity, I’ve found it’s easy for the mind to be left behind, stuck in “training” mode. To perform at the highest level and enjoy racing to the fullest, the mind must also make a switch. We train hundreds of hours during the summer and fall, with racing goals that seem far off in the distance. If you are like me, your training is designed around these goals, and perhaps they even drive you in interval sessions and time trials. The training is targeted towards being able ski faster on race day. This perspective persists as the summer and fall months go by, and before you know it you are on the start line. Race day is here. No longer are we concerned with the training we’ve done or the weeks in the training period to come. There’s no more training or intensity constraints to follow. Now is the time we get to immerse ourselves in simply skiing as fast as we can. To take advantage of it, the mind must be in the right state to utilize the capabilities we have spent so long training. I try to stay present with my training and enjoy the satisfaction of the process of improvement on the day. That being said, there is always a little part of me that is excited to see how this improvement will manifest into performance in the future. The act of racing is this opportunity to engage and exercise the true potential of our physical and mental capacity to ski in the present moment. Too many times I’ve gotten halfway through my racing season before I realize I've been stuck in the mindset of building my technique or fitness rather than using it. For me, this results in complacency and a lack of presence in races. 

A kick off to the racing season: Frozen Thunder, Canmore AB

To combat this, I try to be proactive in reframing my mindset into race mode concurrently with the changing of the training periodization. Here are a few of the things I do: To start, I prioritize giving myself the best opportunity to feel good during intensity sessions and on race day. This means nailing recovery, fueling, and listening to my body. When I’ve been training 20-25 hour weeks and suddenly racing comes around and I drop down to 10-15, it can feel unproductive and so easy to just squeeze in a little bit more volume. However, it's important to remember that the metabolic adaptations come from consistency and on time frames of 4-6 weeks. Adding in volume right before a race is not going to make me a better skier. I struggle with sitting still and can get bored if I am not being active with both my mind and my body. So, when I suddenly have more free time during the racing season, by nature of the training schedule, I make a point to fill it with activities and hobbies that aren’t training related. 

Prepping the body and the mind at my final altitude block in Steamboat Springs, CO 

Setting myself up physically for success helps the mind follow. If I have the energy and the pop, it’s much easier for the mind to comply and flip the switch to let loose. To further coax the brain along into engaging into race mode, I ease up on intensity control in intervals. My goal in these sessions is to ski fast and remind myself how to access the capacity I’ve built up in the previous five months. I am not concerned with hr in my l4 interval sessions during race season, as I am not concerned with my hr during a race. I am focused on velocity and the act of skiing fast. 

Ready to get on the race sticks 

Finally, although trivial, simply reminding myself that the moment has come to get to test myself, is effective. I will utilize cues such as “the time is now”, or “let go, dive in, find out,” during racing and training to help reinforce this mindset that it’s time to stop tuning the engine and instead start it up. This helps me seize the opportunity that is to step into the unknown in regards to my physical and mental capacities and push them to a new place. To grow and shoot my shot per say. To me this is what makes racing so special. Yes it can be painful and often you suffer, but it’s meeting this resistance head on, and exploring and expanding the true edges of my capacity and experience that brings me so much satisfaction. These racing experiences which cause self learning and growth by getting uncomfortable are a privilege. So take advantage of each and every one by making sure you are in the right mindset when you toe the line.