Happy athletes go faster: on one hand, that’s common sense, says sports psychologist Kristin Keim. “When things are going well, and you’re in a good headspace and you’re happy, everything – including racing and training – seems easier,” she says.
But getting there is tough. “That’s more complicated, because it’s very personal and multi-layered – including the influence of training, racing, family, relationships, jobs, recovery, hormones, and so many other factors in your life,” says Keim.
Understand Stress
We tend to think of stress as negative. But there are all kinds of stress, and they’re not all bad.
Stress, as we know it, is a cascade of hormones – including adrenaline, glutamate, dopamine, and the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol – that keys us up to get stuff done (also known as…
