WALK THIS WAY walk this way by ZELDA BOTHA
Munga Mentality
One race can change your life … These were the words my husband , Armin , proclaimed after cycling the Munga earlier in December , and that gave me food for thought .
Armin Botha in full Munga flow his mind to overcome these horrible situations and uncomfortable feelings , and therefore , he was mentally stronger .
You may be wondering why you are reading about a cycling race here in a column normally about racewalking , but what if I told you I had a meaningful conversation with Armin and tapped into the mind of someone who believes that one race , one experience and one goal could change your life ? It was about how he managed to be mentally prepared , and what he had to go through mentally to overcome this race .
Usually , in December , you will read all about tips and tricks to keep you motivated throughout the holidays , but I feel that our mental attitude can determine a much bigger outcome , and can help us achieve the results in 2023 that we couldn ’ t find in 2022 .
A Mega-ride
The Munga is a 1126km single-stage MTB race across the middle of South Africa , from Bloemfontein in the Free State to Wellington in the Western Cape , in the heat of summer . Packing your bicycle with whatever you can carry , keeping in mind to stay as light as possible , you have five days to complete the race , and there are five race villages along the route to supply food and drinks , and a place to sleep . That is , if you are able to sleep on a floor , on a thin mattress , when cyclists are constantly coming in and out .
Speaking to Armin after he completed this mega-ride , I realised that many of us need a mental challenge , or some guidelines of how to stay determined , motivated and how to tap into that above-normal mental strength when things in a race or a training session are not
An Event like the Munga requires serious mental strength
going to plan . So , I ’ ve asked him a series of questions that are just as relevant to racewalkers and runners . Even if you just relate to one of these questions , or can take one piece of advice home with you , that ’ s good enough for me .
Zelda : Armin , please tell me about the how you managed to carry on during the Munga even when you felt tired and hopeless . Armin : Before the race the question to ask yourself is whether you are scared to fail , or scared to start . A lot of people are afraid of failure , but that outcome has not happened , so you ’ re afraid of something that hasn ’ t happened , which means you ’ re wasting your energy on an idea of something that is a possibility , but not a reality . Don ’ t do that ! Instead , if you have visualised a positive outcome , why would you be afraid to start ? Also , make peace with the fact that your preparation will never be perfect .
Zelda : What advice can you give athletes who are racing ( a much shorter distance , of course ) or training and need to tap into their mental strength ? Armin : Just like training physically , you need to train mentally , such as doing something regularly that you find hard to do . To give you an idea , a friend of mine took a cold shower once a day for months before the Munga . He knew it would be terrible , but it was a mental challenge to overcome , and once he did it regularly , he mentally overcame it . He trained
Zelda : Can you recommend any preparation for a session or a race that can help athletes motivate themselves to dig deeper ? Armin : Visualisation is key ! Very few people use it to their advantage , but if you visualise and see the outcome in your head , before a session or a race , the outcome is more believable . Because you have seen it happen .
Zelda : Any fuelling or training tips for racewalkers trying to break new barriers in 2023 ? Armin : You must be able to mentally cope within a race or a training session when something unexpectedly goes wrong . For example , if you miss a water bottle at a station or a gel falls to the ground , you need to avoid panic . The race is not over .
Remain Focused
Training during the December holidays can be taxing on the body and the mind , as we are tired from a long year , and generally , all we want to do is unwind . So do that , take a break , and give yourself the opportunity to recharge , but remain focused on your goals for 2023 . It may require you giving up somewhat on what you want now , for what you want most in the long term . Happy Holidays , everyone !
Zelda and Armin
About the Author
Zelda Botha ( née Schultz ) won the 2019 SA 20km Road Race Walking title and the 2021 SA Track & Field Champs title , and she represented SA at the 2018 African Champs in Nigeria . She balances training and competing in racewalking with a full-time job as a surgical sales representative , and being married to top obstacle racer Armin Botha .
Images : Courtesy Zelda Botha
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