Elite triathlete and Asics ambassador Helen Jenkins talks about the mental strategies she uses in racing and training

How do you prepare mentally for a race?

I used to swim competitively as a kid and sometimes I’d get completely psyched out, which could affect my performance. In my early 20s I did some psychological coaching that helped me become much more organised and hence calmer before a race. There’s no big secret. I simply write down a plan for race day starting with the time I wake up, how far I go for my warm up run, when I have breakfast and what I eat all the way through to race start.

Part of that plan involves walking through transition, making sure I know where everything is and mentally rehearsing the process.

I also have a plan for the race itself that will include both process and outcome goals. For example, I might aim to be in the top five at the first buoy on the swim. However, I think it’s usually better to focus on things that are within my control like making sure I’m properly prepared.

What mental strategies do you use to help you with your training?

Every training session is in my programme for a reason, so that motivates me to complete it. I also think about what my competitors will be doing in their training. If I need to push harder I might imagine myself in a race situation; perhaps I’ve been dropped on the bike and I need an extra effort to rejoin the group. I think it’s also important to stay focused on what you’re doing – for example, concentrating on my swimming stroke or running technique.

Helen and Mark Jenkins

How do you cope with pain during racing?

Races that go well don’t seem to hurt so much. It’s the bad races that cause most discomfort. It’s important not to panic if a race starts going badly and the best way to do this is to have contingency plans prepared in advance. For example, what will I do if I get dropped on the bike or can’t match the pace on the run?

My basic approach is quite straightforward: however my race is going, even if I’m way down the field, I still try to give my best. Otherwise what’s the point? It’s important to keep going if possible. You see some people picking up a DNF habit, and it’s not good.

How do you pick yourself up after a race that’s gone badly?

Actually, in a funny way I find that a bad race can really inspire me to try harder. I’ll do a post-race analysis with Marc (who’s both my husband and coach), work out what went wrong and how to do better next time. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you how it is.

Is triathlon on your mind when you’re not training or racing?

With triathlon, just about everything you do impacts your performance: what you eat, what you drink and how much you rest and sleep. So, I think about it a lot and it does mean I miss out on outings with friends sometimes because I know I need to be in bed early so I can wake up for swim training the next morning.

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