Mental Training Practice for Otter XC Athletes

Olympic track athlete and coach, Steve Magness, writes in his book, Do Hard Things, “The inner drive matters more than the outer. How do we keep going, despite ever-increasing stress and/or fatigue? Those who persist [have] different goals. They weren’t driven by fear, or guilt, or pressure. They were pursuing a goal because it aligned with who they were and brought enjoyment and contentment. They were choosing to do the work, not being forced to.” These are the athletes who will have the most success.

Inner drive assists with persistence and mental tougness because athletes opperating with an inner drive see demanding tests–be it a physical exertion or a difficult class–as a challenge instead of a threat.

Internally driven athletes experience more positive emotions whereas those who compete out of fear, guilt, or pressure experience more negative emotions. The first releases the happy feelings neurons such as endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. The latter releases adrenaline, cortisol, and sometimes low doses of serotonin. The athlete working with negative emotions is releasing chemicals associated with the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. Such energy may feel powerful at the start, but it is fragile and dissipates quickly. Magness found that, “Individuals motivated by external pressure were more likely to disengage, give up, and see the endeavor as a threat.”

Below are some common practices elite athletes utilize to be more internally and positively driven.

1. Visualization Exercise

Visualization involves mentally rehearsing a performance or experience, creating a clear and detailed mental picture of success.

• Prompt:
  Think about your next competition or workout. Visualize yourself performing at your best from start to finish. Picture the details—your actions, your feelings, the environment, and the outcome.

  • Describe what you visualized:
    
    

  • How did it feel to visualize your success?
    
    

  • How can visualization help you in actual performance?

2. Mantra Creation

A mantra is a short, powerful phrase that you can repeat to center yourself, stay focused, or boost motivation during stressful moments.

• Prompt:
  Create your personal mantra that you can use in training or competition. Keep it short and empowering.

  • My Mantra:
    
    

  • Why this mantra resonates with me:
    
    

3. Breathing Technique

Controlled breathing helps you manage stress, stay calm, and maintain focus during difficult moments.

• Prompt:
  Practice this simple breathing exercise: Block your right nostril with your right thumb, and breathing through your left nostril, breath in 4 seconds, then out 4 seconds, in 4 seconds, out 4 seconds, in, out for three to four minutes. After completing the exercise, write down how it made you feel.

4. Alter Ego Activation

An alter ego can help you step into a more confident, focused version of yourself when you need it most, like during competition.

• Prompt:
  Imagine your most powerful, confident alter ego. Write down a description of this persona. Think about their attitude, strengths, and how they handle pressure.

  • My Alter Ego’s Name:
    
    

  • What makes this alter ego powerful?
    
    

  • How would this alter ego act in a difficult situation?