Wow! Welcome to March. We are at the back end of the season with big races coming up. Ironman New Zealand, Geelong 70.3 and Ironman Australia being the current tip of the iceberg.
It is an exciting time for sport generally. As I spread my own wings as a coach, writer and mental skills coach, I find my energy and passion rejuvenated constantly by the changing dynamic.
High Performance Clinic:
In January I got to speak on mental strength and mindfulness for performance at the Queensland University of Technology for the 2024 high-performance swim clinic along with some extraordinary, world-class humans on - nutrition, marathon swimming, and groundbreaking swim stroke technology for Gerrard Gosens in his attempt to become the first legally blind swimmer to swim the English channel.
One On One Zoom Sessions:
I have been working with a varied spread of athletes in the background through my one on one zoom sessions around adaptability, accountability, mental focus, mindfulness and resilience. That work has slowly been growing and the mentorship aspect of it inspires me to help all those who are willing to step up to the plate.
Ive very much been enjoying the work with younger athletes setting out of their careers as this has always been a strength for me. These sessions are open to anyone willing to explore their potential or personal challenges.Please reach out if you are interested.
You can read more about the sessions here:
https://www.grantgiles.com.au/psychology-for-athletes/March Video:
In this episode, I've decided to delve into the core of "What It Takes" to truly master the art and challenge of Ironman. A sport where success isn't simply about sprinting towards the finish line, but about embracing the consistent, methodical journey that spans over months and years, not mere days or weeks.
Key takeaways from this video:
- Consistency is King: Achieving success in Iron Man is about playing the long game, progressively chipping away, and developing strength over extended periods.
- Avoid Quick Wins: Chasing immediate breakthroughs can often lead to rapid breakdowns, causing athletes to lose their path.
- Patience is Essential: Ironman continually rewards those who are patient, both in training and on race day.
- The Importance of Self-awareness: Be wary of the stories you tell yourself, whether it's overconfidence or self-doubt. Hurry slowly, and remain present in the journey.
- A Call to Self-exploration: To truly realise one's potential, it's vital to go beyond the surface layer of physicality and preconceived notions.
- Embracing Growth: Sometimes, the truths we uncover about ourselves might be uncomfortable, but it's only through these realisations that true growth can occur.
- Holistic Approach to Training: While sports science is essential, so is psychology, self-trust, enthusiasm, desire, and a myriad of other factors that complete the athlete's journey.
Remember, every training session, every race, and every moment of self-reflection is a golden opportunity to delve deeper, to learn more, and to inch closer to mastering your athletic potential.
If this video resonated with you, please consider subscribing. Your support goes a long way in helping more athletes and coaches gain clarity in their journey. Don't forget to give a thumbs up and share it with others who might benefit from these insights.
Thank you for your time and dedication. Here's to mastering the journey of Iron Man. Embrace every step, every challenge, and every triumph.
Racing:
We've had some fine performances over the last Month. James Courtney, David Bones, Jono Cahill, Fabio Vas Fernandes and Jose dos Santos have all posted PBs.
Some of our clients have huge challenges that many never see. Heres a call out to those who have the courage to show up again and again and win battles that no else ever sees. I see that as the true beauty of the work I get to do with great humans, on the racing and training environment, and off it.
One such warrior I feel moved to mention is Carol Pearce and Its inspirational to watch her evolving and showing up in such a way. Keep it Carol x.
Reflections:
This week I punch back to the first win that was essentially ground zero to a stella 8 years that produced countless wins and champions for us. Tim Berkel and his break through win as a 23 year old year old at Busselton Ironman is etched into my brain.
The other athlete that comes to mind this week is Bec Hoschke. She consistently worked her way, physically and mentally, to the professional level. She won the national professional title and raced very well at World Championships.
Online Workshops:
I have been approached by enough people now for me to reconsider doing workshops. So Im asking for your feedback. I am thinking of running a 6 week online workshop around athlete mental skills and resilience. If you are interested in that, I want to hear from you so I can gauge interest. I am also available to speak to groups on the power of acceptance and the mindful approach to self responsibility and accountability.
YouTube
The Youtube channel is now active and I will be adding to this as we move along creating a knowledge base for our athletes to access. We know that 80% of the messaging in the body is moving body to brain, with only 20% moving brain to body. In this sense the process is an embodiment rather an embrainment. I plan to cover all the bases, physical, mental and the emotional aspects of this great sport.
Articles
The library is growing. Once again broken into three main catagories; Mental skills, Racing Insights and Training Insights.
Grant Giles
Work with Grant
I am currently taking athletes. If you want to just chew the fat and have a chat about any of the options, please just reach out for a free, no strings attached chat.
Also, as a fully qualified and insured as a clinical hypnotherapist and strategic psychotherapist I am doing one on one mindfulness and mental prep sessions in all sports as well as sessions for general well being and mental health.
Grant Giles
Reach out
If you have any areas you'd like me to cover in vids or blogs, reach out and speak out.
Until next month, train safe.
Cheers,
Gilesy.
