As the competition approaches it is important to know that “a little fear and anxiety is a good thing,” explains Dr. Stacey Rosenfeld, a leading psychologist in private practice in NYC, on staff at Columbia Medical Center, and the Chief Psychologist for the New York City Triathlon. Dr. Rosenfeld, who is also a certified personal trainer and triathlete herself, says that “it is common to get stuck in your head and psych yourself out of setting goals due to anxiety and the fear of failure.”

Here are several things Dr. Rosenfeld suggests that you should keep in mind during your training:

Anxiety can be helpful: There is an optimal level of arousal (stress, anxiety) for successful sport and fitness performance. If you are too calm (subdued), you probably will not perform at your best, while if you are too anxious or aroused, performance may suffer as well. This applies to training, too. A moderate amount of anxiety may help you stay on course with your preparation, motivating you to stick to your training schedule.

Set goals the right way: Set goals for your performance, both for the race and for training and workout sessions. Goals should be:

• Objectively measurable (e.g., time, speed)
• High, but realistic (allow for modification if necessary, e.g., if you’re having a tough day, your muscles are sore, your normal cycling path is extra crowded)
• Both short- and long-term (e.g., “I’d like to be riding four-minute miles by the end of April, sub four-minute miles by race day”)
• Set across three levels: what you ASPIRE to, what you EXPECT from yourself and what would lead to a MINIMAL LEVEL OF SATISFACTION

Learn to check out: As you train, practice the fine art of dissociation, letting your mind wander from your swim, bike, or run. Research shows that those who are able to dissociate (think about other things than how fast they’re going or how far they’ve gone) are able to accomplish more. However, keep in mind that it is important to check in with yourself periodically in order to make sure you’re not feeling any pain that might need attention, to keep track of your surroundings (e.g., traffic, other cyclists, lane lines, etc.)

Practice imagery: When relaxed, and in a comfortable space, close your eyes, take some deep, diaphragmatic breaths (your stomach should rise) and begin to walk yourself through your race in your mind (this is called imagery). You may choose to focus on parts of the race that are most difficult for you. Keep in mind that it is important to practice both mastery and coping imagery. Mastery imagery involves picturing the best case scenario—a strong current, easy transitions, low humidity, quadriceps that resist the burn. Coping imagery allows you to picture a less than ideal scenario: how will you cope if your water bottle pops out? What will you do if your heart rate is higher than expected? What if you struggle more during the swim than you thought? If you can picture these types of situations and find solutions in a calm, relaxed state, you will have a better chance of coping with them when the pressure is on.

Take a rest: Training is easy to overdo and can lead to injury or burnout. It is just as important to set aside rest days as it is to exercise. Resting will allow your body to heal between workouts and your mind to recover from the vigorous demands of a training program. .

Dr. Stacey Rosenfeld is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in New York City. She is also a staff psychologist at Columbia University Medical Center and the Chief Psychologist for the New York City Triathlon. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, addictions, anxiety/depression, and sports psychology. Dr. Rosenfeld also is a certified personal trainer and has competed in several triathlons and marathons. She has been interviewed for numerous media outlets including: The Today Show, ABC News, Better TV, Runner’s World, The New York Times, msn.com, Fitness, In Touch, Life & Style, Woman’s Day, WFAN sports radio, WCBS radio, and more. For more info or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.staceyrosenfeld.com.