From Rage to Results

Stacey Richardson’s Weekly Workout Tip:

2008 Worlds, p.o.'d at Poseidon

Don’t you always wonder what rage can do for your race results?

I often toss this around in my mind, as I begin the journey of coaching various athletes with different styles and personalities. It’s not every athlete who can effectively channel rage and anger into breakthrough performances. Not every athlete is wired like Lance Armstrong or Chris McCormack, using anger effectively on the race course. For every Macca, there is a Chrissie Wellington who races through the pain by channeling joy, writing “smile” on her water bottle and achieving her own joyful nirvana through suffering.

Sports psychologists and coaches certainly have their work cut out for them in this arena. Each athlete is wired so differently. Great coaches have so much more on their plates than simply writing swim, bike, run, repeat…

Last week, one of my happiest, most light-hearted athletes with a wild, carefree attitude responded so strongly to my suggestion of channeling rage in her upcoming A race. It downright shocked me how “miss happy” could readily summon up rage and anger at various things in her life. We agreed she would save it for the last 5 miles of the upcoming White Lake half Ironman. Who knew that there was this other level of passion within her. How great to know she can call on it when she puts it all on the line in her upcoming race!!!

It’s amazing to discover these hidden sides of ourselves both as athletes and as humans with daily lives full of frustrations, stressors, and seemingly small victories.

Find out what fuels you: love for your kids, specific race goals, redemption for something, fame, fortune, or some form of anger. Harness it. Channel it. Stash it away. Then unleash a torrent of great racing at your next race; bring together your passion and that well-tuned body. Bet you will achieve the next level in your racing once it all acts as one;

body + mind+ passion= breakthrough race day

Stacey Richardson’s Weekly Workout Tips
©TriStacey Coaching

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