ENDURANCE EXCHANGE RECAP

What is the Endurance Exchange conference?..."USA Triathlon and TBI are introducing the Endurance Exchange conference in an effort to grow, inspire and support the triathlon community by collaboratively hosting the nation’s largest experiential triathlon summit where everyone within the multisport community can learn; share best practices, trends and innovations; network; and celebrate. Endurance Exchange replaces the TBI Annual Conference, which was initially scheduled in Tempe for the same dates. It also comprises two former USA Triathlon-hosted industry events, the USA Triathlon Race Director Summit and the Art and Science of Triathlon International Coaching Symposium."

Some notes from the lectures that I attended (there were 2-4 different lectures simultaneously in different rooms at the magnificent Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University) 

Mental Health & Performance

• How often to talk about mental health? Much as physical health
• Mental health is important for how you coach someone
• Issues typically start age 18-25 but they are also lowest treated
• Sleep is the greatest indicator of mental health
• Sleep is a precursor...not a symptom
• You can't get better at handling poor sleep..you actually get WORSE at judging how sleep deprived you are
• If you wouldn't say it to someone else then don't say it to yourself
• Trauma = anything that you consider traumatic
• You can't train out of trauma
• Chronic injuries count as trauma
• Compassion is the single greatest interruptor of suicide
• Despite all the technology available, there is still value in subjective assessment
• You don't need to be mentally ill to see a mental health professional: its about making you a better you
• Biggest competition for his practice is new technology
• Don't pathologize condition - Recalls coach saying to athlete "You're kinda f-ed up..you should go see someone"
• Assume that every athlete is gonna lie
• Include mental health into intake: "of the last 7 nights, how many times have you woken up well rested"
• Single greatest predictor of success in sport is relationship to coach
• Debriefs with professional athletes can be several pages long
• Helplessness is the single greatest predictor of suicide 
• Common barriers to getting help: cost, availability
• Can't train out of trauma

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