Author: Dr. Jim Taylor

Recent Posts

PG or College Next Year?: That is the Question

It’s hard to believe that another ski racing season is coming to an end. It’s time to hang up your skis and take your mind off ski racing for a while. Yet, if you’re a soon-to-be high school graduate, the end of the ski season may not offer an immediate respite from our sport. Why? […]

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How to Prepare Mentally for Triathlon Season

As the off-season winds down and the first triathlons of the season approach (or have already begun), most triathletes naturally shift their focus toward physical readiness. Training volume increases, intensity sharpens, and race calendars begin to take shape. But if you want to perform at your best when it matters most, your mental preparation deserves […]

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Maybe You Don’t Have Anxious Attachment

How often have heard this from people explaining their relationship challenges: “I have anxious attachment?” Attachment theory has become a part of what I call the “Relationship-industrial Complex” and is an essential part of our relationship vocabulary. It suggests that relationships demonstrate one of three patterns: anxious, avoidant, and secure. It’s used as both an […]

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Ski Coaches Set Minds, Not Just Courses

Ski coaches do far more than train racers physically, technically, and tactically. They also, and more importantly, shape the psychological environment of ski racing more than any drill, workout, or training session. Every word, cue, and reaction from coaches sends powerful messages to racers about what matters and how they should approach every aspect of […]

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Second Runs Are a Different Sport: How to Reset, Regulate, and Charge (No Matter the Stakes)

First runs and second runs may take place on the same hill, but psychologically they are very different competitions. Racers who treat them the same often struggle. Racers who recognize and respect the difference gain a real competitive advantage. In the first run, uncertainty dominates. Racers do not yet know where they stand. Pressure exists, […]

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Building Confidence When There Are No Races to Prove Yourself

For many triathletes, confidence is tied almost entirely to racing. Good race = high confidence. Bad race = doubt. No races at all? Confidence quietly erodes. That’s why the off-season is such a vulnerable time mentally. There are no bib numbers, no rankings, no finish lines to confirm that you’re on the right track. Training […]

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Be Your Ski-Racing Children’s Wings, Not Their Weight Vest

Parents play a powerful role in the psychological development of ski racers, whether they intend to or not. What you say, how you react emotionally at races, and even what you do not say sends constant signals to your child about expectations, performance, and self-worth. Most parents want to help. Many unintentionally make the mental […]

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The Feed is My Go-to Place for Sports Nutrition

For endurance athletes, nutrition isn’t a luxury. It’s training equipment. What you fuel with directly impacts how you perform, how well you recover, and your long-term health. That’s why I count on The Feed for all my sports nutrition needs. The Feed isn’t just another online store. It was created specifically for athletes who care […]

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Do You Train Better Than You Race? Here’s Why

One of the most frustrating experiences in ski racing is skiing free and fast in training, then feeling tight, skiing cautious, and finishing slow on race day. Ski racers often assume this means they are missing something technically. In most cases, they are not. The difference between training speed and race speed is rarely physical. […]

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Why Mental Training in the Triathlon Off-Season

During race season, your mind is largely reactive. You respond to results, pressure, expectations, fatigue, pain, unforgiving conditions, and the First Rule of Triathlon: “S&%# happens in triathlon. There is little room to step back and change how you think or operate. Patterns—good or bad—are already in motion. The off-season is different. It is the […]

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