My Own Space

Wandering around the transition area this past Saturday, I couldn't help but overhear other competitors and their conversations with one another. People discussing the course, the hills and the weather. Pairs of athletes pointing out who's who in the field to one another. Concern over the water temperature, their bike setup, their sports drink. Even so much as athletes verbally "sizing" up other athletes, out loud, and in front of others.

For some reason, this really got to me. I recall setting up my transition area and actually getting irritated at this background chatter. Now, sports psychologists have attributed this behavior to pre-race anxiety; both my behavior and my competitors. To cope with the jitters, athletes may become very talkative, very critical and/or very boisterous to compensate for their lack of confidence. Others, like myself, may become very quiet, very focused and very stern to deal with the nerves and to prepare for competition. Interestingly, neither behavior has been shown to be more productive or effective at coping with stress than the other. However, in my racing experience, it's always those that are the quietest, those that are less well-known that are the most focused, determined and confident athletes in the field.

As I found my space on Saturday morning, I couldn't help but take a mental note of everyone else's behavior, and contrast it to my silent style. Somewhere, over the past years I realized, I'd transitioned from a Jittery-Joe, to an intensely focused athlete.

Maybe it's been the long, lone miles this season. Maybe it's been getting out of bed at dark to swim in a lane all by myself, and to roll into work earlier than most, having already done so much more than so many others. I don't know. What I do know, is that of all the "talkers" this past weekend, not one of them finished higher than me.