El Tour

Are you training for El Tour De Tucson? You’re probably diligently following your training plan, logging many miles on the bike and taking the time to cross-train, visit your bike mechanic, and dial in your nutrition plan.

While we’re on the topic of training, how’s your mental training going for you?

Many athletes overlook this critical component of race preparation. Though the motions of cycling are performed by the body, they’re powered by a muscle you can’t see – your brain. 

Successful race day experiences are not a random act. They’re the result of hard work put forth in building mental and physical muscles. Your attitude and approach can result in success or disappointment. Which ending would you prefer?

True Form Coaching is a one-of-a-kind organization in Tucson offering services to help you hit the start line focused, confident, and ready to race.

Mental Training Tips from True Form Coaching:
Become aware of negative thoughts, and eliminate them.
There are several tools and techniques people can learn to eliminate negative thinking. Easier said than done, sure, but the effort is worth it. Negative thinking can be an old habit that no longer serves you anymore.

Become aware of your negative thoughts as they happen. Keeping a log or notebook that tracks the triggers for negative thinking will help you create proactive strategies to transform a negative thought into a positive one. Often, True Form Coaching assists athletes with the process of reframing such thoughts.

Stop making excuses.
If training for El Tour is a priority of yours, then treat it as such. Allot time in your schedule to train for the race.

There are 1440 minutes in a day. Do you use those minutes wisely? Learning to align your daily actions with your priorities helps you to use your time wisely. Some of those minutes will need to be devoted to rest, recovery, money-making activities, family time, training, and so forth; however, it is very possible to balance all the demands on your time and still reach the El Tour finish line in mid-November.

See it, Do it.
Use visualization tools to imagine yourself at the start line, fully prepared and confident that you put forth the effort to create a successful race day experience. Take yourself through each moment of the event feeling calm, collected, confident and prepared. Imagine the joy, pride, and fulfillment as you cross the finish line. By the time you really do reach the start line, you will have already raced that race many times (in your mind!) in a calm, confident, relaxed fashion. You will have strengthened your mental muscle along with your physical muscles and be ready to ride.

The more senses you can bring into your visualization, the more successful your results. Hear the sounds of the crowds cheering, see the other cyclists, smell the clean crisp November air, see the road, the sidewalk next to it and the cactus beyond that. Bring in all your scenes as clearly and vividly as possible. The more vivid these visualizations are, the stronger your mental muscle will become.

There is no “wrong” way to do a visualization, but there are some ways to make it more effective. True Form Coaching helps to guide individuals on the effective use of visualization to optimize your sports performance.


Join a Team.
True Form Coaching offers several one-on-one and group sessions for athletes working on the mental component of training. Services range from one-time consultations to six-session enrichment classes starting as early as September 11! Contact Coach Karen Quigley today to discuss your custom personal training program for the development of your mental muscles. Pair this program with your physical training, and you’ll be ready to rock it come race day.

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