You’ve Done the Work - Now Let Go.

Why the week before the big moment is about mindset, not more effort.

Four days out from HYROX Sydney.

I’m lining up in the Men’s Open division at F45 HYROX Sydney - my third time stepping

into this arena.

I’ve been a track runner for 30 years. Middle-distance has been my base. But in December

2024, I stepped into my first HYROX race in Melbourne. It was a wake-up call - lungs, legs,

grit. In February, I gave it another crack in Auckland. I improved. Learned. Adjusted. And

now, here we are: round three.

The heavy lifting is done. The engine’s built. The soreness is clearing. But if I’m honest, part

of me still wants to sneak in one more tough session - just in case. Just to feel like I’m doing

something.

That urge? It’s not about readiness. It’s about fear.

Because when there’s nowhere left to hide behind effort, what you’re really left with is trust -

and that’s a muscle high performers often forget to train.

More work doesn’t equal more ready

It’s a trap we all fall into. We think doing more will make us feel better. But in the final days

before something big - a race, a presentation, a performance - doing more often just means

you don’t trust the work you’ve already done.

And I get it. Pushing hard feels productive. It gives us a sense of control. But here’s the

uncomfortable truth: there comes a point where more work isn’t smart - it’s just noise.

What actually takes courage is holding back. Saying: I’ve done enough. Now I recover. I

sharpen. I show up clear.

Trust is earned, not faked

Confidence doesn’t appear out of nowhere the night before race day. It’s built in the quiet - in

the small, boring, consistent choices no one sees. The early alarms. The recovery you didn’t

skip. The run you didn’t feel like doing - but did anyway.

That’s what I’m leaning on now. Not magic. Not a last-minute Hail Mary. Just reps. Just

consistency. Just proof.

So this week, instead of chasing “readiness,” I’m reminding myself: the work is already in

the bank. This isn’t the time to overthink. It’s the time to execute.

Redefining success - again

Here’s something I’ve come to realise over the last couple of years: the stopwatch doesn’t get

the final say.

Yes, I have a time goal. Yes, I’ll give everything I’ve got. But success isn’t just a number for

me anymore. It’s about who I am when the wheels get wobbly. How I respond when the lactic

hits. Whether I can find flow under fatigue. Whether I hold my form - physically and

mentally - when it would be easier to fold.

That’s the stuff that matters. That’s the stuff that transfers to life, to business, to fatherhood,

to the kind of coach I want to be.

What’s your version of race day?

Everyone has one. Maybe it’s a job interview. A tough conversation. A pitch. A performance.

Whatever it is, here’s my challenge to you:

This week, stop trying to earn it at the last minute. You already did. Instead, ask yourself:

What does success actually look like for me right now?

Then breathe. Trust. Show up.

See you in Sydney.

—

Simon Fitzpatrick | Performance Coach

Helping people back themselves when it counts.