espnW Summit (2014) Voices Inside

I was living in Dubai, and out with my mates for a tough Friday morning bicycle ride.  It's generally easygoing to start, and the pace picks up but stays generally moderate until our break.  But the second half of the ride can be fast and furious.  That morning, I was not in good space with my body and my form felt off.  Negative talk in my head heightened, and it prompted me to let go of the push and let myself be dropped by my mates.  Interestingly, I kept at it, as I somehow kept those voices at bay.  Then, I had the fortune of a friend slip back to help, as I was losing grip on the lead pack.  He looked back, and waved me toward him.  In cycling, it helps for a mate to pull you, that is, allow you to draft behind him.  So with a burst of effort, I got on his tail, which allowed me to sit a bit and catch my breath, as he brought me back to the pack.  Mentally and physically I drew on what my friend did, and amazingly I had a strong finish to a rather shaky start.  In my own way I can relate to what these ladies say.  Whether positive or negative, voices call upon us athletes to muster whatever mental resources we have to channel it in the right direction.  Whether it's yoga for Natalie Coughlin or T'ai Chi for me, there are definitely ways to manage any voice that might drag us down.