"A figure at the front of the pack in the shorter cross country and short track distances, Courtney would surprise everyone by winning the 77-mile race, claiming the second rainbow jersey of her nearly decade-long career. The competition at the sharp end is so high and the course was brutal, so I was productively intimidated, said the 30-year-old Courtney, I didn't think much about the pressure of winning, which let me just focus on myself."
"Despite a final climb that took an agonizing hour, a 20-minute hiking section over a boulder field, and flat tire on the final descent that could have ended her race, Courtney stayed calm, thanks to a different mental approach this season. In the past, I felt like I had to be on every podium to feel success, said Courtney. It was an impossible standard and the pressure got to me."
Kate Courtney targeted the marathon distance for the first time and won the 77-mile UCI Mountain Bike World Championship, earning her second rainbow jersey. The race featured brutal conditions, a final climb that took an hour, a 20-minute hiking section across a boulder field, and a flat tire on the final descent. Courtney remained calm and executed thanks to a different mental approach developed this season. She shifted focus from podium-dependent validation to engaging meaningfully with challenges and investing in process. A broken wrist in late May forced time away and prompted reflection. The time off led to relinquishing top rankings and finding renewed purpose in training and racing.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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