We just had two major long triathlon,Japan National Triathlon at Miyakojima(April 20) and Ironman Triathlon GotoNagasaki(June 29). The other day, my disciple M asked me why I think foreign athletes are strong contender. As usual, I made some analysis.
Athletes, both Japanese and non-Japanese, come to a competition expecting that they can win that particular race and that they can win the prize money. Usually, not only at Japanese races but also at Asian races, professional athletes end up ranking high, and most of them are foreign athletes. Naturally, both the media and the general public get the impression that foreign athletes are stronger contenders. But then, why are they stronger? The following reasons may have been referred to so often. They are stronger because 1) Triathlon is more prevalent, and the triathlon population is much bigger outside Japan. 2) There are better and suitable practice areas that are well maintained. 3) There are more full-time coaches. I myself have to admit that these are the reasons why foreign athletes are stronger, but I delve further into other reasons.
In January and February this year, I had a voluntary intensive training in Auckland, New Zealand. The most striking difference that I noticed in practice environment between Japan and New Zealand was that more people, both women and men, old and young, enjoy
riding bicycles (road or MTB) in New Zealand. This may sound a little rude, but those people whose bicycles seemed to barely support riders’ weight were enjoying cycling simply as part of their lives. Dieting is not necessarily their purpose for cycling or touring, but they do it just for the love of it. People literally become good at things when they love them. .
Also, in New Zealand, I found that they hold local mini races such as the aquathlon and the rough water swim. I was surprised by the fact that those mini races are held on weekday evenings so that more people can easily participate. People on the way home from work, students, housewives, local triathlon devotees, and anybody may participate. I hear that usually 200 athletes gather for such events. In so-to-speak triathlon kingdom countries such as Australia or New Zealand, every triathlete seemed to be very used to participating in races. I would guess that being familiar with those races since young age must be one of the factors for the strength of those athletes..
One biggest difference between Japanese athletes and foreign athletes is the mental aspect. There are many things we should learn from how foreign athletes think about races. They have strong confidence towards their own mental strength, physical strength, techniques, the amount and the quality of their practice. All of these make it possible for them to display vigor when they compete. To us Japanese though, sometimes their vigorousness may look as selfish or self-centered.
At the same time, foreign athletes are very positive thinkers. Even when they face some negative incidents, they have strength to turn them into positive incidents. It seems that their strength and vigor becomes the big difference in the race. They turn literally everything - wind, wave, air, cheering, anything that they see into their supporters.
For example, I was listening to the comment by the winner at the Hawaii Kona race, and she was saying in her interview, ‘she was able to become one with Hawaiian wind’ during the race and ‘the flowers on the road side were cheering her up’. Usually, people with just ordinary mental strength would be too busy with themselves during the race to even think about such stuff and they would not have such sensibility. This athlete is able to see both herself and the nature on the earth during the race. She equally loves and respects herself, other people, and other living creatures: she has nurtured that kind of spirit since she was born. Japanese people may not be good at this since we always worry about what others say. Nail sticks up gets ready to be hammered. People are afraid to be the nail that sticks out. However, we need to change ourselves so that we do not fear of being the nail sticking out, and we need to have higher level of self-confidence.
Recently, we often hear such Japanese-English words as ‘plus-thinking’ or ‘positive-thinking’. They are often found in Japanese books and magazines, and I can understand what they mean when I read them. However, it takes some efforts to consciously internalize this way of thinking.
Here is a story that my friend, H, once told me. Her friend who had not had much meat before said she got more fighting spirit once she started having more meat as part of her diet. I was half listening, but then it occurred to me that what she was saying was not altogether untrue. I came to think that people who love meat tend to be more energetic and vigorous. To think of myself, I have fewer opportunities to eat meat than before and I eat much less meat since I began to care about my weight. It is quite a change in my diet as I used to say ‘Grilled meat!’ whenever I was asked what I would like to have!
 The other day, I asked a nutritionist about the benefits of having meat. She gave me a positive response. She says that it is common for athletes who have intensive training to feel the urge to eat meat. If they avoid meat for fear of gaining weight, that would reduce the efficacy of training to half and it would be a waste. The important thing for athletes to do is to be selective about the quality of meat and also how to cook them and to try to reduce the number of calories consumed.
Well, I wonder if the athlete aforementioned who has strong confidence and who has a high world ranking loves meat and tries to eat regularly? I really would like to ask her this question in the future. In any way, you may have had the experience of feeling powered or energized when you are about to have grilled meat or steak. Perhaps meat not only makes muscle strong, but may strengthen mental aspect.
In my professional life, I have made it a rule to go and meet somebody from whom I can feel energy whenever I was let down or I am stuck in the negative trend. I try to talk on the phone with them or exchange e-mails so that I can gain positive energy from them. From now on, I think I am going to include more meat in my diet with the expectation that there will be a mental training effect too.
I aspire to become an athlete that can make other athletes feel ‘If I see Yasuko, I will be more energized!’ Someday, I will be able to say to younger athletes,’ I will treat you to grilled meat.! as mental supplement. That’s what I have been positively thinking lately.
20 July, 2008, Yasuko
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