Ultra Performance: The Psychology of Endurance Sports

The world's leading endurance athletes are not only some of the fittest people on the planet, they are also among the toughest mentally. To train and race at the highest level of competition over hundreds-and sometimes thousands of miles takes preparation, dedication and the ability to push the body and mind beyond conventional limits. Ultra Performance offers an insight into the psychology of these athletes.

Includes contributions from Brett Sutton, world renowned triathlon coach, Craig Alexander, one of the greatest athletes in the history of Ironman, and Dee Cafari, the first woman to circumnavigate the world solo in both directions. Profiling twelve extraordinary ultra runners, Channel swimmers, long-distance cyclists, multi-event competitors, mushers and sailors, the book examines the mental dedication and determination that has driven these individuals to reach the pinnacle of their sports. It analyses their psychological approach to training and racing, and explains how these strategies have helped them to realise exceptional goals. With working examples of the implementation of these mental strategies, Ultra Performance not only gives an insight into the toughest moments these professional athletes have ever faced, but also offers advice to readers on how they can adapt and employ these techniques for themselves.

Although specific to the athlete and their events, these strategies provide valuable learning tools for individuals whatever their chosen sport. What's more, the mental approaches outlined in Ultra Performance can often be applied to the non-sporting pursuits of everyday life, helping the reader to lead a better, more successful life.