Visualization: A Practice
A visualization exercise to help you see the finish line.
(Begin in a relaxed state)
"Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment!"
Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen master
See yourself arriving at the triathlon course…..noticing the people, the environment…..you are getting ready for the swim…..you are in your suit and goggles…..number written on your leg and arm……people milling around, engrossed in their own thoughts……listen to the sounds and feel the energy around you and within you. You do your warm-up routine……..the bike is ready, the running shoes are waiting……..let them go from your mind…..you begin to say your swimming affirmations to yourself……"I am free of fear while swimming…….I am relaxed and confident while swimming…….I am strong and fast in the swim……I enjoy pushing myself in the swimming leg…..it feels good to swim hard……I am an excellent competitor in the swim"…relax, and recall some of your personal goals for the swim.
You line up……feeling the excitement in your body…..hearing the instructions……watching the water….the horn goes off…..you run into the water and charge in feeling the coldness on your skin……people are all around you……you remain calm, swimming with the correct body position……you remind yourself to keep pushing…..you focus on your form and your stroke…..moving for a good position out of the crowd…..picking up the pace as you go…..pushing hard……feeling relaxed and ready….stroking evenly and in control. "I am a strong, smooth and powerful swimmer….." You make the halfway point….swimming hard and fast powerfully through the water….seeing the shore…..feeling yourself slicing through the water smoothly……closer and closer…..you can hear your rhythmic splashing as your arms move powerfully…..stroking….pulling….you swim harder, knowing you are almost finished…..you will soon be out of the water…..you are doing a good job….you have pushed hard all the way.
You reach the shore….run to the transition area and get into your gear as quickly as you can….you feel the pull of the material on your wet skin…you are focused and in control as you jump on your bicycle and take off…pedaling furiously…..establishing good speed…"That was fast….great job….got that done perfectly."….you settle in the bicycle rhythm, pedaling smoothly…….your hands and feet begin to warm up slowly….you are fast and smooth……you spin powerfully with your legs……pedaling hard……riding confidently next to the other bikers. You begin to think…..nice way to keep yourself going…..your cadence is good, just where you want it to be……you spin powerfully, your wheels are spinning faster….easier gears…..you feel good……leaning into hills….using control on the down-grade…..eating some bananas, drinking water, refreshing yourself with some needed carbos……feeling a little tiredness and feeling good at the same time.
Recall your affirmations and goals for the biking leg……"It is easy for me to keep spinning smoothly and quickly….I am comfortable and ride consistently at 20 MPH….my legs are strong and fast at this cadence…..I enjoy increasing my cadence during the end of the bike race." The ground seems to be flying now….you are leaving it all behind you as you come closer and closer to the finish….Thoughts of running begin to enter your mind….you notice them and then let them go as you focus on a hard sprint to the finish….
You ride over to your spot, rack your bike, and quickly put on your running shoes….completing this with speed and control…..you take off running….aaahhhh, your legs feel good, they are loose and warm and ready to go…..you begin to loosen up all over…..warming up….breathing hard and deeply….your body settles into its rhythm……you feel very good…..this is the easy part for you…..become aware of the pavement under your feet and the sound your strides make….."I run hard and with ease for the next three miles…..I am an excellent runner and this is a piece of cake."
Recall your affirmations and goals for the run, picking up the pace. "I am a powerful runner…this is my strongest event….I enjoy this part of the race….it feels good to push myself toward the end of the race….I easily push through tiredness…..the race will be over soon and I am doing great….I have worked hard for this and I am confident of my ability and strength……keep on pushing…I accelerate easily from 3.5 to 5 miles in the 10K race….I am almost finished."…...You see the 6 mile mark up ahead….you are passing some other runners now……in complete control….you push…..surging …..passing…….accelerating…. "The last half-mile I run hard and strong….I am a fast finisher and have a good kick……..I have plenty of energy and sprint the last 400 meters…..I enjoy the last 400 meters and love sprinting at the end"……passing more runners…. taking them by surprise…….you cross the finish line….one of the first across the line…….you gasp for breath….sides heaving…….breathing hard……..tired…..exhilarated…..excited……joyful….pleased.
Feel the euphoria rising in your body….the happiness, the contentment…..you have reached your goals…..experience it all in your body….thanking your body for all it has given you today….let it all flow through your entire body….in every blood vessel and every cell….feel the pride, the confidence, the sense to accomplishment….hear the crowd…your friends and those you don't know…..experience it all. " I am an excellent triathlete."
Let the vision slip away….inhale….exhale….inhale…..exhale….feel your body where you are…experience again the feelings of completion, happiness and contentment from doing your best triathlon.
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