During the Daikin NK Sprint event, speed skater Lancee shared insights into her mental development and how it influenced her recent performances on the ice.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch skating news outlet, reports on her reflections.
Lancee responded cautiously to a compliment, noting that she sometimes struggles to fully embrace positive feedback. She mentioned hearing encouragement from family at home, such as, “You can do more than you think,” but often meets such remarks with skepticism. Despite this, she recognized visible progress in her mental resilience over the weekend, especially during the 200-kilometer race at Weissensee, an event for which she admits she was not fully trained.
The endurance required to skate for hours in the lead group demanded strong mental focus. Lancee described how during the race there was little conversation, emphasizing a solitary inward focus. She came to the realization that her mind tends to underestimate her actual capabilities. This insight has helped her approach long-track races differently, adopting a mindset to avoid negative thoughts and to persevere until the finish line.
Despite these advances, Lancee acknowledged she experienced more anxiety than desired on the final day of the NK Sprint, notably before the 1500-meter event. A lack of appetite before the race reflected her nervousness, and she felt unnecessary pressure to prove herself despite being in good form. She also shared how thoughts of potentially winning the title crossed her mind but tried to stay focused by reminding herself that there were still two more distances to compete.
