3. Speed Work Builds Mental Strength
The grind of race day can be more of a mental battle than a physical one. Learning how to tackle the pain of race day needs to be rehearsed.
The difficult workouts, race-paced intervals and long, sustained sessions are mental dress rehearsals that teach you to be tough.
Your body's natural response to pain is avoidance. Successful racing is all about overriding this response. Speed work gives you the chance to practice dealing with pain.
Think of race pain as a monster that you have to fight every time that you race; you'll never kill the monster, but each time you face it, you get a little better at fighting it and walk away from the experience with more wisdom.
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