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MAXIMISING OLYMPIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON PERFORMANCE ...

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Maximising Athletic Performance….with air conditioningRon Clarke____________________The most important elements in anyathletic or sporting performance are:1. Skills2. Muscular capabilities3. Ability to absorb oxygen4. Mental concentration andconfidenceSkills and muscular capabilities are amatter of training sensibly, patiently andwith a purpose, combined with genericcharacteristics and appropriate upbringing.Mental concentration should bepractised as assiduously as the skilltechniques.Training, both for fitness and to enhanceskills, is too often approached haphazardly with no real purpose orconcentration. A plan should beestablished for any workout prior to itsstart, which should fit into an overallprogram. And the plan shouldincorporate a goal – be it distance/time,number of hills or efforts, or the drills.Whatever ….. fun runner or professional,it has always made sense to me thatwhen you practice you do so for areason.And I have always found that realconfidence comes from preparation.The better prepared you are the moreconfidence you will have to perform anytask.My favourite way of demonstrating thisis with comnective circles:The outer is what your body isultimately capable of – no onecan tell you where theseextremes are.The middle circle is what youbelieve your body is capable ofin its present conditionThe inner circle is what youactually achieve.As your fitness increases so do the twoinner circles expand towards the outerwith the ultimate, of course, having allthree over-lapping.The point being nobody can so controlthe mind as to free it of all inhibitions -have a look at someone having anepileptic fit, it takes three to four peopleto hold them down.There are many examples of howsometimes performance exceedsexpectations, especially wheninhibitions are overcome either by fear,or adrenaline, or determination.Examples:Ewry (Determination)Beamon (Adrenaline)Syme (Fear)For this reason I actually believe thePara-Olympics produce the mostamazing athletic performances of all.Because they know all about pain, andsuffering, and determination, and6

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