Programing the Biological Brain
Training for a triathlon has many physical components: endurance, strength/power, and speed.While we address physical components, we are simultaneously, consciously or unconsciously, programming our brain.
Our brain, in many ways, resembles a computer, requiring “software” to carry out a task.A triathlon may present many exigencies. Those exigencies get addressed while training. The biological brain prefers to function in a state of “flow” (https://psychology.iresearchnet.com/sports-psychology/sports-emotions/sports-psychology-flow/ ).
Exigencies are impediments to the state of flow. “Flow is a special psychological state of total absorption in a task. When in flow, athletes are fully focused on what they are doing, and this heightened attention is associated with a number of positive factors.” To assure that state, we identify exigencies that might interfere with flow. If we are aware of a very steep hill on a bike course, for instance, we develop strategies to deal with it, and consequently write a few lines of code so our biological triathlon program maintains in a state of flow.
I plan on doing a triathlon with a swim in Monterey Bay, California, on October 20th. Checking the Pacific water temperature, I see that it will be 58 degrees. That temperature would disrupt my “program” and consequently, flow.
The solution is to “write some code.” That is being done. The water temperature of Lake George in New York has been dropping. Normally we swim in the summer at around 75 degrees. Quite a change from estimated of the Pacific temperature! That change could negatively affect the race. The solution, of course, is to keep swimming as the temperature drops. The temperature has dropped and is now 60 degrees. Lines of code are being written! Virus!
A few years ago, I did the triathlon “Worlds” in Chicago. The program caught a virus! Usually in USAT triathlons, numbers belts are attached when one finishes the swim and starts the run. At the “Worlds” it was different. Leaving the transition with my bike, I was stopped and required to return to my station and put on my number. Result? Virus! The bike was 3 laps; I did 4. The program and flow were interrupted.
Since then, the code has been revised. In “lap counting” situations, I use distance. If the course is 12 miles, I watch my total distance. Problem solved. A line of code was added. One exigency that interferes with the state of flow, has been resolved. Fortunately, while training for the physical aspects also addressed the other components, the coding of the biological brain.
