Anticipatory Attitudes & Triathlon

There’s a moment in almost every race or training session — maybe right before the start, maybe halfway through the bike, maybe at the first really painful mile of the run — where your brain asks: Do I really want this?

In the book How Bad Do You Want It?: Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle, Fitzgerald explores how elite athletes use anticipatory attitudes — the expectations we hold before effort or adversity — to shape performance and handle pain. And the really powerful part? This concept applies just as much to beginner triathletes as it does to professionals.

What Is an Anticipatory Attitude?

An anticipatory attitude is your mindset before a tough experience — in this case, a race or hard workout. It’s not about ignoring discomfort or pretending it won’t hurt. Rather, it’s about expecting the discomfort and accepting it as part of the challenge. In psychological studies, this attitude of acceptance — knowing something is going to be hard and preparing for it — lowers perceived effort and improves performance compared to hoping it won’t hurt as much. It quite literally shapes how the session is going to go.

In simple terms:

Expecting discomfort makes it feel more manageable. Hoping it won’t hurt makes it feel worse.

When you train your brain to brace for difficulty — realistically and mentally — you reduce the negative emotional reaction when it actually arrives.

Why This Matters for Training and Racing

This idea cuts to the heart of mental toughness in endurance sports. Many athletes think that mental strength is about ignoring discomfort. But Fitzgerald’s research suggests it’s actually about how you prepare for it.

Elite performers don’t race hoping for smooth sailing — they anticipate hard moments and embrace them as part of the experience. This shifts perceived effort, not because the pain is gone, but because it feels less threatening and more familiar.

How Pro Athletes Use Anticipatory Attitudes

In the stories Fitzgerald tells — from Olympic gold medalists to world-class endurance athletes — one trait keeps showing up: they expect to suffer, and they don’t shrink away from it.

Instead of:

“I hope today isn’t too bad…”

They think:

“Today will be hard — but I’m ready for it.”

This isn’t bravado. It’s mental preparation. It creates a psychological buffer against surprise and self-doubt.

For pros whose bodies are already fit, the real edge often comes from how they interpret effort — not just how strong their muscles are.

How Beginner Triathletes Can Apply It Too

This doesn’t require Olympic talent or elite genetics. It simply requires practice.

1. Expect Discomfort — Don’t Fear It

Before a hard workout or race, acknowledge:

• This will be uncomfortable

• I won’t feel perfect this entire time

• Effort will feel hard, and that’s okay

This shifts the threat from surprise to normal.

2. Reframe Hard Moments as Expected

Instead of thinking:

“I hope this doesn’t hurt…”

Replace it with:

“I expect this to be tough, and I’ll treat it as part of the experience.”

You’re not telling yourself it’s easy — you’re telling your brain it’s normal.

3. Practice in Training

Don’t leave mental prep to race day. Use hard workouts to:

• Anticipate effort increases

• Notice how your thoughts shift with fatigue

• Rehearse acceptance rather than resistance

Training your brain is just as important as training your body.

Anticipatory Attitude in Everyday Life

This idea isn’t confined to race day. It applies to:

• Training blocks that feel heavy

• Life stress that makes workouts harder

• Travel or schedule disruptions

• Moments when your confidence wavers

If you expect challenge instead of resisting it, it often feels less overwhelming when it comes.

The Takeaway

Fitzgerald’s core insight — that mental fitness determines how close you get to your physical limit — underscores one universal truth: your mindset shapes your performance.

Anticipatory attitudes aren’t about ignoring pain. They’re about preparing your mind for the reality of competition — and in doing so, reducing the emotional cost that comes with hard effort.

Whether you’re racing for the podium or just chasing a personal milestone, how you think before you step up matters as much as how hard you train.