Reality Of Competing As A Professional Athlete

The other weekend I was watching some of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship Series coverage on TV and thought it was great that they interviewed some of the triathletes on the realities of their travel lifestyle. Having worked and travelled for seven years on the Ladies’ European (golf) Tour I know firsthand what the reality of travel is all about.

The ITU World Championship Series looks like a great way to help professionalise the sport. But with it comes the hard reality of regular travel. Many aspiring triathletes and multisporters may look at these athletes and think the life style is glamorous... “How fantastic to be in two different countries every month”. In some ways they are right. The lifestyle can become addictive. But there are also some tough realities.

So what are the realities behind the glamour of travel? When you’re racing at home it may be possible to get a good support team together to help you. Yet when you’re doing this on a budget on the other side of the world it might just be you and your bike, suit and shoes. The bonus is that most of the other competitors will be in the same boat as you; however, that may not be the situation that you were happily painting in your mind when you were dreaming of making it big. Most athletes, other than those with serious financial backing, will have to face travel on their own.

One girl interviewed at an ITU World Champs Series event said that she often ends up with sore shoulders after travelling because she is quite small, and her bike bag is huge, and she has no one else to carry it. Obviously, the wear and tear of travelling with bulky and often heavy luggage is going to take a toll on the body - the same body that you require to be in top shape for competing at your best week after week. After a while, this stress can also take a toll on you mentally.

How can you make the best of this less than ideal situation? You need to come up with a coping plan – even if you’re not competing full time. One of the hazards of aeroplane travel is the reality of lost luggage. Thinking about how you’ll cope or what you’ll do if your equipment doesn’t show up is a wise idea. I remember one girl on the Ladies’ European Tour who lost her bag or clubs every time she went through Heathrow for a year. Luckily, she had a good equipment sponsor who could supply new clubs to her specification each time before competition day. But what if you’re not lucky enough to have that? One ITU athlete said he packs all his training and competing gear in his bike box so if he loses his clothing bag he’s going to be okay for his race. Doing little things like this can help minimise the impact of lost luggage.

But equally important is deciding on what your frame of mind and reaction will be when challenges like this occur. You can’t change the situation, but you can choose how you will react to it. You can choose to see it as a major drama or you can choose to see it as an extra challenge which you are more than capable of conquering. It's wise to think through some of the self talk statements that might be helpful in this situation in advance, as well as some of the practical things you can do. You'll be much better off if you have already thought about possible curve balls that you may face in the process of your travels, and the best possible response that will help, rather than hinder, your performance. Planning your coping strategy in advance removes the emotional influence of the situation from your decision making, allowing you to choose the best possible strategy.

You can also cope more effectively with the rigours of travelling by making sure your Periodised Annual Plan takes into account the travel required and has plenty of rest and transition phases where necessary so your body and mind can recover adequately. It's also important to ensure you have a training and preparation routine for every race you compete in which is the same every week. Making sure you have time to find somewhere to do some clothes washing or purchase your extra drink and food supplies also needs to be taken into consideration. Plus it's essential to give yourself enough rest, around training and competing requirements. It may take you a while to figure out what routine works best for you. Everyone is different - and what works best for the guy you admire might be completely different to what works best for you.

Don’t let the reality of travel put you off seeking your dreams, as it is all worth it. But, make sure that you have coping strategies in place, along with a good Periodised Annual Plan, and a personalised training and competing preparation routine. If you do this, you're much more likely to deal effectively with the strains of international travel and competition.