If you ever happen to witness Eric "EC" Carter surveying a race course, you'd be captivated by this man's intense scrutinization. No one takes mental race preparation more seriously than EC, and the rewards of this preparation couldn't be more evident. In the past two years, the 33-year old defending World Fourcross Champion has swept a World Cup Fourcross Championship, two NORBA Mountaincross titles, and one NORBA Downhill Championship. We asked EC to share what goes on in his head before the race:
"To maintain focus, take a lot of naps between practice and the race to recharge your batteries. I have to stay relaxed during the race day, and the naps really help."
"Obsessing on all of the possible race scenarios is not a good idea. If you spend hours obsessing on the course or the people you are racing against, you will burn out and won't enjoy the event."
"To stay focused and relaxed, you need to intentionally distract yourself during the race day. I may play with my PlayStation in the pits or hang with my wife."
"I enter a meditative state to relax before the event."
"Twenty minutes before your race, block out the distractions. Make sure all of your gear is ready to go, and go over your bike one last time. Jump on the wind trainer to warm up. You don't want to get to the starting line so early that you are standing around. I get to the start a few minutes before I need to be there."
"When I examine downhill courses, I look for braking points and sections where I can coast to help my recovery. I check out all of the possible lines and figure out which offer the best chances to shift. I try to determine where it's best to tuck to save time and energy, or where I should put big efforts in. In gnarly sections, I'll examine the best lines, and figure out which ones will let me maintain my momentum the best."
"Remembering fundamentals is key: brake early, then release before entering corners."
"As I walk the course, I anticipate suspension and tire setups. This way I don't waste valuable practice time stressing to get my bike dialed."
"All of my preparation is for qualification. I find the best lines for my style."
"In mountaincross, look at the jumps, turns, and obstacles and envision different lines. You have to anticipate braking, shifting, and attacking rhythm sections, where you have choices to either speed jump or launch."
"After all of my pre-race preparation, my mind goes on autopilot, and my motions happen subconsciously. Throughout practice I'm programming my lines in my mind, and when it comes time to race, they unfold in front of me."
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