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Dan Atherton talks mental strength for enduro
Find out how mental preparation helps MTB Enduro athlete Dan Atherton gain that extra edge
The margins for success in top level sport are tiny. Shedding weight, eating right and meticulous training programmes are just par for the course for athletes wanting to be the very best they can be.
MORE: Dan Atherton's enduro training tips
It is now universally acknowledged that mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness in gaining that extra edge, and in endurance sports mental preparation and focus is absolutley crucial.
We caught up with Mountain Bike Enduro rider Dan Atherton, to find out how he trains mentally to ensure he is at the top of his game.
Dan Atherton
© Rutger Pauw
How important is mental preparation prior to an endurance event?
In the days leading up to a big endurance event it’s like waiting for a storm to hit. For me there’s a lot of preparation, a lot of work to do getting the course straight in my head. But all of that practical effort is nothing compared to the preparation that’s going on inside my mind to get it ready to deal with the pain of race day.
Do you have any pre-race rituals or visualisation techniques that you use?
For me to be on the start line with the best chance of winning I need to be calm. That means listening to a lot of music, making sure every last detail is taken care of well in advance so I’m 100% stress free right up to the start. If I am unprepared stress starts digging into my essential energy reserves.
Is there a mental barrier to overcome as well as a physical one?
The mental barrier is definitely the harder one to deal with. The majority of the physical barrier is already taken care of in off-season training but no matter how fit and how strong you are the mental barrier is always equally painful. That’s why I love it!
Dan Atherton shows off his bike skills
© Sven Martin
How much of a role does the mind play in going the distance in an endurance race?
Coming from sprint disciplines like BMX and Downhill my first few years of racing Enduro were definitely governed by my mind. I was nowhere near as fit as the other guys so I relied heavily on my mental determination.
Battling it out with Remy Absalom at the Megavalanche in 2013 was so intense. I’d seldom been so nervous in a race. It was a cold, early start in order to get to the start line at the top of the glacier. I knew that Remy was a lot fitter than me but I knew that if I stayed on his back wheel I’d have a chance. We swapped positions several times and I made sure I just stayed with him, stayed on him – right until the final climb. That was definitely a time when my mind out-performed my body.
What is your regular training scheme like and how does mental training fit into that?
I guess my training regime is pretty intense. I try to see everything I do as training. I spend a lot of time building which I really think helps mental training, it’s a lot of hours in such tough conditions it almost makes the riding seem easy!
