“Accept the Unexpected” a key strategy for embracing setbacks in endurance sports

A typo on the back of a tee shirt has become a motto for working through difficult times. Around 2014 I was on a dive trip with some friends. On the trip the boat’s generator died, after 24 hours with no bathrooms and no electricity we were transferred first to an island to shower and then to a much nicer boat. On the last day we bought tee shirts from the boat. It was supposed to say “Expect the Unexpected”, instead it said “Accept the Unexpected.” That tee-shirt was right! We accepted the unexpected. I have come to use that phrase more often than I want to admit. 

You can also accept the unexpected! Actually, this is the first step in trying to solve what has gone wrong. 

What can possibly go wrong in training and racing??  Where to start? Not hitting a desired pace? Not finishing a race? Getting a flat on a ride? Hitting a plateau in your training? The list can go on…… As endurance athletes we often focus on a variety of metrics to help us see progress. What should we do if progress isn’t happening the way we had hoped?

For many the natural tendency may be to simply push harder. As Einstein supposedly said: “doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.”  Simply pushing harder without evaluating is an endurance athlete’s version of “doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”

As hard as this seems, you may have to start with acceptance. I know, none of us want to accept that we are not getting the results we want. But, the only way to work through this is to take a step back, accept what you are experiencing, examine what is actually happening, re-evaluate and possibly redesign your plan (or even your goal) and then move forward. If we don’t take the important first step of accepting with grace and self compassion we will never move forward in a healthy and sustainable way. 

Acceptance does not mean you like what is happening and it does not mean rolling over and doing nothing. It means you acknowledge what is happening. In acceptance you allow yourself to experience what is occurring in the here and now. Through the experiencing you gain space and clarity to move forward. 

Let’s work through a common scenario to see this in action. 

You are a swimmer. You have a goal of swimming an open water race in a certain time. To get to that time, you have set your eyes on a 100 pace of 1:40. You are a strong swimmer, you took a month off from swimming to allow your mind and body to rest after the previous season. On your 1st day back, you have an overall pace of 1:50. After several weeks of consistent swimming you see a drop to 1:47, but there, it gets stuck. You swim more, you try to swim faster, but no matter what 1:47 becomes the fastest you can swim. 

When you finish your workout, you check the time on your Garmin or in Training Peaks. You see 1:47 average pace. You recognize some thoughts and feelings starting to bubble up. Acceptance is allowing the feelings to surface, to recognize what you are feeling. If you’re like me, there is probably a mix of frustration, anger, disappointment and maybe some sadness. Next, try to understand the feelings. You have worked hard. You really want a faster pace. Maybe there is a question of “can I do this?”

Here is where it gets really challenging, and takes some practice. Stay present and judgment free instead of berating yourself or jumping to your worst case scenario. Said another way, instead of “I’m such a horrible swimmer! I’ll never get faster” or “I shouldn’t even do the race” stay present in the here and now. “I’m disappointed I’m not faster” or “I’m working hard but I’m not seeing the results I want.” 

With this acceptance you are meeting yourself with grace and compassion. Through grace and compassion you can look at the situation objectively and make decisions from there. This is a time to explore your options and possibly what is leading to the lack of desired performance. This is your opportunity to really see if your goal is realistic, have you been truly consistently following the training plan? Are there life responsibilities that may be preventing you from achieving this goal? This is a great time to re-evaluate and re-commit to what it is you want to achieve.

I know that all of this is much easier said than done. Shoot me an email, DM me on IG or comment on this blog to see how together we can help you find acceptance is what is happening and finding a path forward to help you crush your athletic goals.