Getting Back on Track After a Setback

No matter how well your training is going, setbacks in some shape or form are inevitable. You might pick up a cold, feel a dip in energy, or get a knock in training. It’s natural to feel frustrated when this happens, especially if you’ve been building momentum and have an important event like a marathon or championship coming up.

The immediate temptation is to think ahead: What does this mean for my performance? Am I losing fitness? Will this ruin my race or game? That kind of thinking can spiral quickly, creating stress that actually sets you back further.

What’s far more valuable in these moments is to narrow your focus and stay present. Ask: What can I do right now to support my health and mindset?

I’ll always remember one training evening with Dublin. We were getting into the business end of the championship and one of the lads, who was in great form, picked up a knock in training. I walked over to him on the sideline and asked how he was. He said he was pretty annoyed, didn’t know how serious it was, and that he’d need to get a scan.

I said to him: Right now, there’s nothing you can do but ice it. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t think too much about all the possibilities. Put a simple plan in place for what you can do today.

That meant speaking with the physio about treatment, asking the S&C coach about small exercises or mobility work he could still do, and from my side, putting a nutrition plan in place to support recovery.

A few days later he told me he had caught himself spiralling, but focused back on the simple actions. And when the scan came back, it wasn’t as bad as he feared. He said that conversation helped him steady his thinking.

It’s such a natural reaction to jump ahead when things go wrong. But more often than not, the best thing you can do is bring yourself back to what’s in your control: the recovery steps, the small wins, and the mindset that will actually move you forward.

So if you do get a setback, whether it’s illness, fatigue, or a niggle, don’t dwell on what might go wrong. Instead, focus on the few things you can do today that will help. If you’re finding that hard, lean on someone in your circle. A quick chat with a coach, a teammate, or even a friend you trust can give you reassurance and perspective.

But even if you don’t have that support around you, you can still steady yourself with a very simple process. Take a page and draw a line down the middle. On one side, write down everything that’s within your control: nutrition, sleep, recovery strategies, mindset, or simple mobility you can still do. On the other, write what’s outside your control: scan results, the weather on race day, or other people’s performances.

That act of separating what you can and can’t control helps take the emotion out of the situation. It brings clarity and stops your thoughts from spiralling too far ahead.

A few other steps can make a big difference:

• Set a 24-hour focus. Ask yourself, what are the one or two things I can do today that will move me forward?

• Keep a routine. Even if training is reduced, stick with regular meals, good sleep, and light activity. It keeps momentum going.

• Shift perspective. Remind yourself that setbacks are temporary. They feel bigger in the moment than they usually are.

The aim isn’t to deny frustration, it’s natural to feel that. The aim is to stop frustration and gain better focus. And very often, when you do that, the outcome ends up being far better than the story you first told yourself in your head.

👉 If you’re dealing with a setback and want tailored support on your nutrition, recovery, and performance we would love to help. You can book a consultation and put a simple, effective plan in place to get back on track.