Call it nerves or pre-race jitters, but I see too many people talk themselves into having a bad race. They are trained, they have the ability and yet they allow fear to take control as they approach the starting line. You hear them say things like: “I really don’t like this distance” or “I don’t like this course” or “I didn’t sleep well” or “This has been a stressful week. I just don’t know how I’ll do” or “It’s too hot!” I could list many more, but you get the idea!
You may think these are just harmless conversations we have with each other prior to starting the race. But your words have more weight than you realize. These statements allow you to rationalize a bad race before you’ve even reached the starting line! You have given your mind permission to accept the possibility of running a bad race and now it’s already considering how it will deal with that outcome.
Instead of spending valuable time and energy dwelling on negative possibilities, you will be better served to choose to have a positive attitude and focus on what it good about your current circumstances. Maybe the week has been stressful, but you’ve trained well, so remind yourself that you are physically prepared and running a solid race would a great way to put to bed the stress of the week.
We all have doubts and fears, but successful runners learn to harness them, reign them in and shift their focus to what they must do in the race before them.
If you have a bad attitude or have been focused on the negative aspects of your circumstances, then there is a good chance that when things get tough mid race, you will have a hard time pulling yourself together and pushing through. When you start to struggle with your pace, you will remember how little sleep you got or how you don’t run well in hot weather. Your mind is justifying why you can’t run that pace today instead of recalling how you nailed your workouts last week.
Give you race a fighting chance! Choose to look on the bright side and speak only about feeling good and being ready to run. Besides that, honestly, no one really wants to hear about how bad your race is going to be. People are more focused on themselves and their own race anyway. Personally I have found it to be a lot more fun to encourage others to do their best and watch them light up as they consider the possibility. And if the negative talk around me gets to be too much, I just move away.
Finally, besides choosing to have a positive attitude no matter what, let me encourage you to eliminate situations that stir up negativity for you. If you don’t like a particular race distance or a particular course, then don’t even sign up for those races. Don’t feel obligated to run races you don’t enjoy. If you don’t like the marathon, don’t waste your time, energy and money running them, just because your friends are. If you prefer trail races then quit signing up for road races. Life is too short to waste time doing things you don’t enjoy! And you probably won’t run as well as you could if you enjoyed the race distance or the course.
Next time you catch yourself complaining about your race circumstances, I want you to stop yourself and think how you can turn it into a positive. It’s important that you speak it out loud as your words have power. Come back and let me know in the comments below or on my Facebook page what you did and how it made you feel better about your race! I can’t wait to hear from you!
Hi Beverly! I too have dealt with issues that caused me to develop an auto-immune disease back in 2001. After moving to Arkansas 9 years ago I often found myself feeling really alone because I didn’t know anyone, but then made some local friends. Even after moving over to Little Rock, all of my friends were health coaches. I thank social media for helping me to have people to talk to (friends and family back in Michigan and here in Arkansas) That connection is invaluable. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I realized that if I am under stress I don’t even know it. I don’t really feel it physically. This dumbfounded me because my stress hormone was high, but I didn’t feel bad. Anxiety also acts similarly like fear towards me, but I do feel the butterflies of anxiety now. Working out on a regular basis has helped me to squash stress and anxiety. Plus now, cbd oil has been the biggest and most fantastic way I have been able to cope after being homebound and stuck on the couch since April with a severely sprained ankle. Even getting on a plane (which I hate to do) I had no anxiety at all. I feel super relaxed these days, and finally I am able to begin working out….not running at this time, but I can move and walk a few miles a day now. It has been so helpful to connect with other coaches like yourself and speak more about this. In not speaking about it more diseases can pop up unexpectedly and we never want this to happen. It is time to Heal. Love ya Beverly!!
Great points Heidi! Like you, I didn’t even know I was suffering from anxiety until I sought help sorting through all the craziness in my life. Hmm…CBD oil…who knew! I agree, we need to speak out more. I think too many people put up a front and suffer in silence!
Thank you for sharing your story. You are so brave. If you ever want to compare notes on fear, anxiety, grief, not being able to get out of bed, coping with and without running as your crutch, reinventing yourself, truly finding your faith in Christ; my heart always has time and a place for you and your twin!!! ❤️ Conlin.cathy@gmail.com
Oh I bet you could Cathy! Thank you so much for sharing. I don’t think we talk about mental health enough. I am so proud of you for finding your faith and strength in the Lord. He is ever present, evening our worst storms!
Hi Beverly,
I so miss connecting with you all! I too have very much shared your journey. I’m on the other side of it now but am changing many things in my life wich as you know comes with its own grieving as we leave the old behind. It’s lovely to see you share your story as I know it helps many of us.
Would love to get together again.
Hugs,
Kelley
Kelley I miss you too! Thank you for your kind words and your support. We need to get the Soul Sisters together again!