As avid sports fans, readers of Sport Elizabeth might know a few people who recently took part in the 70.3 Half-Ironman in East London. As many, if not more, would know or be participants themselves in the annual ‘full’ Ironman held annually right here in Nelson Mandela Bay. Each time on of these events comes into the news, whether East London or Kona in Hawaii, I stand in awe of the time, effort and dedication of these athletes. And it is not just the triathletes that are impressive but from multi-stage trail runners to professional rugby players, there is something quite remarkable about the countless hours of training and preparation that goes into producing such inspiring performances.

The appeal of conquering a massive physical and psychological feat such as the Ironman, Comrades or Cape Epic stirs something deeply ancient and primal in us and becomes a source of inspiration that motivates us to get off the couch and out onto the road. If only enjoyment and ultimately success were so simple! Unfortunately, there is an often painful down side to sticking to a training program or simply doing that first run after a long period of no exercise. While you might feel a bit hot and bothered during or immediately after exercise it is often the muscle pain and cramps over the next few days that short circuits our once good intentions. With muscle pain comes negative thinking; we start second guessing and making the most elaborate of excuses to not go back out there for a second run, ride of aerobics class.

Self-handicapping is a well know Sport Psychology concept that does not only apply to sport but countless other areas where we are faced with challenges, obstacles and the potential for a negative outcome. It is felt as psychologically safer and more comfortable to make an excuse (e.g. “My hamstring is a bit too tight to run today”) than to experience physical pain or to consider that we might not meet our personal goal or performance expectation.

Typically, we humans are quite pain aversive creatures. We like to be cosy, content and pain free; the complete opposite to what sport, exercise or an Ironman training regime requires. However, additional factors adding to the ‘pain equation’ are those of personal expectation and delayed gratification. We have high hopes for ourselves and would like to achieve our goals quickly and effortlessly. In a fast-paced world, we want instant results without the inconvenience of pain, setbacks or obstacles. Like a game of snakes and ladders, we want to shoot up the board and avoid the precipitous slide further back than where we started. You are under pressure and making the most of the time available feels vitally important!

We cannot all be psychologically fine-tuned and mentally tough like a professional triathlete and push through the pain barrier in the pursuit of excellence and podium finishes. It has taken years and years of training, setbacks and sacrifices to get where they can produce an inspiring performance. Importantly, re-evaluate your personal expectations and the anticipated time frame you have given yourself. Too often cramming demanding performance goals into a time frame that is too tight creates an atmosphere that breeds negative pressure and detrimental self-handicapping thoughts.

Make time to be in pain, make time to be injured but also make time to remember the tale of the tortoise and the hare; low and steady training and consistent participation are essential in helping you reap the performance goals you have set yourself.

Greg Wilmot is a Counselling and Sport Psychologist based at Health & Sport Inc., in Grahamstown. You can contact him on 072 264 1452 or email wilmot.greg@gmail.com. Twitter: @gregsportpsych