Introduction to the Performance Space Model

Endurance athletes are always fighting the increasingly incessant urge to slow down and stop. While there are undoubtedly physiological parameters that affect performance, research shows that the psychological limits (via the psychophysiological phenomenon of the rate of perceived exertion) are the likely final common pathway of being able to endure to the finish line … or not! This chapter explores whether it really is ‘mind over muscle’, examining factors such as V̇O 2 max, fractional utilisation of V̇O 2 max, running economy, and the newly emerging concept of durability (the fourth dimension). Best-practice coaching is often years ahead of ‘the science’, and top international coaches highlight the development of athletes’ mental toughness, resilience, inner belief and competition-coping skills as paramount to world-class performance. The Performance Space Model builds on foundational theoretical models and pulls together leading psychological research across the training and competition spectrum into a coherent and easily applied tool for performance excellence. The key steps are highlighted (unique athlete, formulate goals, threat into challenge, pre-race plan, self-regulation and post-event review), together with an overview of how each chapter delves deeply into the supporting research.