That’s my shortened version, the longer version came from Colin Hill:
“They [the support team] should never ask how you [the athlete] are feeling, because then you start to think about the things that hurt. They should only ask what you need next.”
I met Colin Hill at Kendal Mountain Film Festival. Colin Hill, goes swimming in sub-zero temperatures and enjoys it. He looks happy and sounds happy and tries to persuade the rest of us that it is fun! (Not likely, I’m the opposite of a troll, I turn to stone and can’t move in the cold.) I digress. He swam the English Channel in 10 hours 30. He knows what he is talking about. Here’s his second tip:
(All photos were taken from Bored Panda’s website but I don’t know where they came from before that. There’s more where these came from if you follow the link. If I get done for photo stealing I shall ask Emma and Mike to reenact the shots. They probably would, you know.)
Head over Heels 2014 
Very sound advice – that I can relate to under slightly different circumstances.
As a navigator on a desert rally, I was feeling car sick (it happens sometimes) – I was very much NOT thinking about it. My driver obviously twigged something was wrong – as at regular intervals he kept asking ‘you OK?’ – to which I would answer ‘yes’ or ‘fine’ or something else through gritted teeth in an increasingly tense and irritated voice. We completed the stage – 350 km of wiggly road with lots of nav required – I walked away from the car and threw up 🙂
It does show the power of mind over matter – but it does help if support is sympathetic. Although in this case I’m not sure being asked what I needed would have helped (to be on a motorway!).
Loving the blog – keep up the good work.
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Great story. That’s rough. You did well! I get car sick too, so I really feel for you and having to navigate too! Bet you were proud at the end.
Thank you for the encouragement – really appreciated.
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