You've got all the latest gear and follow all the latest schedules and advice-hell, you've even got a tattoo branded on your leg identifying you with your sport-but have you bothered to figure out what's really important?

Triathletes define themselves by their quirky rituals-shaving our bodies, for example. Some of those rituals are fun, or not, but the ritual itself-the trappings of the sport-can cloud our judgment and give a false appreciation for things that don't really matter. It's the same in every sport. Whether you're a triathlete, runner, swimmer, or any other kind of athlete, consider living your life as an athlete, adopting practices and routines that will truly help to improve your longevity and performance in the sport. Here's what I mean.

Sit up Straight

Your mom was right: you ought to work on your posture. For most people, being slumped over a bike for hours can give rise to uncomfortable muscle or nerve pain. All too often, discomfort can become a limiting factor in exercise; there's a good chance that if you're uncomfortable, you'll either cut your workout short or undershoot the desired intensity of your workout. When activity-related posture becomes a problem, it's more important than ever to consider modifying your non-activity-related postures. Consider what you do after a heavy workout; if you proceed to sit down slouched in a chair, you may be impeding your body's ability to recover from the workout you just completed. By maintaining proper posture between workouts consistently throughout your day, you may reduce muscle tension and nerve irritation and symptoms. This will allow you to perform your next workout with less discomfort and risk of injury.

Patience Is a Virtue

Be patient and consistent. Be cognizant that improvements are often realized slowly. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will be your ultimate fitness. Sometimes it's better to hold back during a workout, for the purpose of making sure you have energy for the next day's session. Avoiding burnout, keeping motivation high, and getting workouts done in a steady and progressive manner is a key to increasing your body's tolerance to the stress of exercise. If you're continually getting sick or injured, or coming up with excuses as to why you've been unable to train, then take a step back, adjust your expectations, and start giving yourself more ‘palpable chews' of exercise.

Stop Freaking Out

All too often, athletes can get way too hung up over their sleep, food, and social events. Just because you have a busy schedule and life is continually adding things to your social calendar doesn't mean that your fitness and training gains up to this point have been all for naught. It's important to keep in touch with the people and friends who give us a sense of meaning and belonging. Always keep your world in perspective; triathlon or any other sport should never be so big that it disrupts enjoyment in other facets of life.

Just Breathe

Be consistent with breathing well. Coaches are focusing more and more on the importance of consistent, quality breathing. Diaphragmatic function can become fatigued or inhibited during exercise, affecting oxygen kinetics and blood pH balance/lactic acid accumulation. Apply this knowledge to your everyday life and practice deep rhythmic breathing whenever possible. Far too many people forget to breathe while performing difficult or challenging tasks. As an example, next time you are performing a front bridge as part of your core workout, focus on breathing deeply. This not only makes the workout more challenging but conditions the diaphragm to function well during sustained difficult effort.

Driven from Distraction

Focus on you, and not the things around you. It's largely understood that anything can happen on race day. Although it may seem reasonable that our best interests lie in controlling all the conditions we have influence over, sometimes it's best to let things go and enjoy the ride. Given the unpredictability of racing, sometimes it's best to practice avoidance of control in training. Try different training routes, stop for food and water at unspecified times and places. Allow yourself to develop the confidence that you'll be able to race well no matter what the conditions.

About the Author

Scott Curry is a professional Ironman triathlete and a chiropractor at Balanced Health and Sports Therapy/University of Calgary Health Services.