We’ve all been there on race day…we are ready to race: bikes ready, gear is on and then it happens…we get nervous and unsure of our abilities and the stress hits. But there are ways to combat this before it even takes hold and in this week’s article, we are going to discuss some strategies to make sure you are mentally prepared for race day.

Training

    Your race is won way before race day. It is your training that gets you winning races. All the time you put in on the track running practice laps and hitting jumps is what gets you going and makes your moves automatic. By the time the race comes, your movements on your bike should be second nature to you.
    In order to accomplish this, your practice conditions should be similar to your race conditions. Your pace and intensity must be matched from training to racing and you have to use the techniques you know when you’re racing. Spend much of your time practicing technique and paying close attention braking points, line choices, developing ruts, and body positioning. Riders that practice turning mindless laps will not develop new skills, and will simply reinforce old habits instead. If you go into the race with the confidence you have in practice, you will deliver better, more consistent results.
    Another thing to consider is that toning down your training a bit for the few days right before a race will ensure that you are ready to go. Stay on the bike and keep your body ready, but slow the regiment a little. If you are sore or tired from a rigorous workout the day before a race, there is no way for your body to operate at peak efficiency. This is a good time to work on your mental strategies: concentration, focus, emotional control and visualization.
Energy
     The more energy you have for race day the better you will feel and that in turn will keep your confidence level high. There are a few things you can do to conserve energy before a race and they include being prepared on race day with all your gear and your bike in proper working order and have a comfortable place to stay with adequate food and water. Some suggestions for energy conservation between races would be to stay relaxed, but try not to sleep because you need to stay mentally focused and also stay well hydrated and eat small, healthy meals. On race day, make sure to eat portioned, well balanced meals. DO NOT load up on lots of sugar, such as energy drinks because they don’t offer consistent output – once you crash from a sugar “high” it’s difficult to regain energy and stamina for the rest of the day.
Motivation
    Positive motivation drives us to succeed and negative motivation hinders us from that goal. Motivation is defined as ‘the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior’. Another way to say it is that motivation is a force inside you that drives you and pushes you to attain a certain goal you have set for yourself.
    Positive inner motivation that will push you towards success can come in forms such as the love of the sport, the feeling of pride when a goal has been accomplished, the drive for self-improvement, and the pleasure of excelling in a rigorous and hardcore sport. Negative motivation that will counteract that can be seen when you are driven by the fear of losing, you are proving yourself to someone else to gain their approval or acceptance, or when you are driven by the prospect of fame. Positive motivation is the key and will ensure success.

Focusing Your Mental Energy:

    If you have ever attended a professional or amateur national and taken some time to observe the riders, it’s clear they are focused on the task at hand. While everyone should enjoy their weekend at the racetrack, it’s important to maintain focus and a clear vision of your expectations for the day. Dr. Cohen of Peak Performance sports stresses that the key to success is beginning with the end in mind. NLP, or neuro-linguistics programming, is the interconnectivity between mind and body and is a function that is often used to help center the mind and channel your energy to a specific task. By envisioning what you want to accomplish down to the last details – sights, sounds, feelings, smells, will help you to realize the desired outcome when in that situation. It also helps you to clear out distractions such as other competitors and factors that are beyond your control. The instructions below are a great focusing tool that will allow you to operate in a peak mental state.

1. Find a quiet place to relax that is comfortable and quiet.
2. Close your eyes and envision your best race. Consider every aspect, the sound and feel of the bike on the starting line, your thoughts when the 2 minute board went up, turned to 30 seconds, and when the board turned sideways. Think about your feeling as you focused on the pin and the split second it dropped.
3. Remember that first corner and your position, think about your determination to get to the front.
4. Reflect on your feeling before, during, and after the race. Chances are, you were completely focused on winning, or placing well.
5. Now, take that feeling, that overall sense of emotion, and tie it to something you experience at every race. Breathe in and smell the race fuel, or listen close for the sound of your bike warming up on the starting line.
6. Now open your eyes. This whole process should be deeply relaxing. If this simple exercise is performed on a daily basis, it helps you to channel those feelings consistently on race day.

Those simple exercises are what separate the good from the great. Being entirely prepared will only do so much – knowing you are prepared is what makes the difference. A confident rider is also a safer rider because in the sport of motocross, there is no time to second guess your decisions. Be committed, be smart, and be confident.  Those are the keys to the riding at the next level.