A Game Plan for my Mental Game in OCR

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The first six months of 2017 went so well for me OCR wise! I accomplished many of my goals for 2017 from March until OCR European Championship in the first weekend of July.
When I came back home from the European Championship I was SO motivated for training. I forced myself to take 5 days off, then I would run the team relay Cop Run x Nordic Race just for fun on the following Saturday, Monday I would get back to the gym and start my World Championship training.

The one race I wish I had never raced
Oh how I wish I had never run that Cop Run x Nordic Race relay! A few days before the race we were so close to pulling out, as we struggled to find a third teammate. We found one and we raced!
I injured my left hand on the first of 5 rounds. Later that evening I learned that it was a fracture and I had to wear a cast for 3 weeks and possibly have surgery. I think it's safe to say that my world came crashing down.


Luckily I avoided surgery. I had to wear the cast for 3 ½ weeks and then rest it for another 3-4 weeks, which meant a total of 6-7 weeks rest. When I was allowed to use my hand again, I had 8 weeks until the OCR World Championship (coming up in 2 weeks as I am writing this)! I kept up with my running and leg training as much as I could while wearing the cast. As soon as I was cleared by the doctors I went straight back to climbing and pull ups. It felt like I was racing the calendar in order to prepare myself for October 14 and 15. It only took a few weeks, then I ran straight into over-training and a body that basically just shut down. Though, I didn't realize that at first, so on September 2nd, one month after I got my cast off, I did my first post-cast race. I know it's unrealistic, but in my mind I had really hoped that I was in my pre-cast fitness mode - man was I proven wrong!
That race was in no way a good experience and I did not live up to my own expectations at all. I was so disappointed with my performance, I twisted my ankle twice, felt like I was drunk on the course as I was all over the place. It really made me realized that I was far from the fitness level I was at just two months earlier. The one good thing that came out of the race is that I got my OCR European Championship 2018 qualification (which is held in Denmark on June 29th- July 1st 2018). The following week I could barely run 3km, my body was worn out, and I was forced to take a break.

Expectations
But back to my Game plan! I haven't raced a serious race since the disastrous one on September 2nd. I was supposed to run Nordic Race last Saturday, however, no sleep meant that I did not feel like I was cable at completing the course on my own, I ran in the Team race instead. Considering how much I struggled, that was probably a good decision, and on the bright side I finished the race without getting any injuries. However, with the World Championship coming up, I need a sustainable game plan and realistic goals for both this race and for future races.

I think it's safe to say that I am a control freak, and I don't like not knowing what I will face in a race, I like to be prepared, for better and worse!
I have no clue what obstacles I will face at the OCRWC and I haven't had the proper preparations for it. Had you asked me about my WC goal right after the European Championship, my answer would be Top 10 and a race without getting stuck by any single obstacle for a longer time. I still really hope that I can complete the race with my wristband and within a decent time. However, I have come to realize that I cannot race for a specific placement, I am not in control of how other athletes perform, I am only in control of my own performance. My job for a race is to go out and do the best I can do and just be the best me I can be, that's it!

I have to change my mindset to "be the best me I can be" and keep focus on that.

On Saturday I have my last race, Toughest Copenhagen, before OCRWC, which is a great opportunity to test this game plan.
For the OCRWC, I don't know where I will end up, but I know that I just have to do the best I can do and fight to keep that precious wristband! Yes my preparations have in no way been as I had hoped or liked, but I am going and I just have to focus on what I can do, and that is to be the best me and trust the my training and experience will help me conquer whatever obstacle I may meet in Blue Mountains!

Just FYI I will still be absolutely pissed off and upset if I loose the wristband at the World Championship, so now you have been warned 😄 



    

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