How anxious do you get before a race?

[cookies]

I'm running a half marathon on Sunday. It's not my first, I know I can do it. But I've put probably double the training into this race than I have for any other race before (even marathon training).  I'm feeling a lot of pressure to hit my goals and I'm worried what it will feel like when I don't.  I have never felt this nervous before a race.  I can't endure a whole week of this or both I and my race will be a mess. LOL. 

Do you get anxious like this? How do you deal with it? Is it just taper crazies?

[shauni27]

If I am trying to do a PR and have specific goals that are a challenge then hell yes I get nervous and anxious. Even for a 5K if I am trying to get a new PR.

But...

I haven't done that for a few years and it has made running a lot more enjoyable for me, and an extra bonus is no more nerves!

[gt7301b]

If it is a big race I am completely paranoid about not waking up in time and I don't sleep well the night before.

I don't really worry about not making my goal, I worry more about what my action plan is for achieving that goal. I try and focus more on my plan than what happens if I don't meet that goal. Sure, I am disappointed if I don't make my goals, but I usually try to go into a race thinking I am going to meet my goal. That being said it doesn't always happen and taper messes with the mind.

[luckystar2]

I get super anxious for sure. For my first marathon I worked a lot on my mental game though. I did a lot of visualization. So instead of thinking about how I would feel if I didn't hit my goals, I thought about how it would feel when I did reach my goals. Im not perfect. Doubt creeps in! But I tried my best to think about specific milestones and how I'd feel (all positive stuff). I'm typically more of a worrier/pessimist so I really tried to overcome that. It really helped calming me down some.

But on the whole I'm usually a jittery mess before a race...even when I'm not looking to hit a major goal. I hate the week leading up to a race! I wonder why I sign up for these. And then I'm out there and finish and am ready to do it again.

[cookies]

May 1, 2017 11:21:59 GMT -5 luckystar2 said:

I get super anxious for sure. For my first marathon I worked a lot on my mental game though. I did a lot of visualization. So instead of thinking about how I would feel if I didn't hit my goals, I thought about how it would feel when I did reach my goals. Im not perfect. Doubt creeps in! But I tried my best to think about specific milestones and how I'd feel (all positive stuff). I'm typically more of a worrier/pessimist so I really tried to overcome that. It really helped calming me down some.

But on the whole I'm usually a jittery mess before a race...even when I'm not looking to hit a major goal. I hate the week leading up to a race! I wonder why I sign up for these. And then I'm out there and finish and am ready to do it again.

Good tip! You're right... I need to work on visualization. I just noticed above that I said "when I don't" meet my goals. Wrong attitude for sure!

Also agree that fine tuning a real race plan will help.

Thank you... all these responses are helping!

[cinco]

[cinco]

I get very nervous! It's part of the process. the quote posted above sums it up well for me.

[cookies]

May 1, 2017 12:01:31 GMT -5 cinco said:

This is very reassuring! Thank you.

[mrshandy]

I'm somewhat nervous before most races, even more nervous and cranky before any race that I've trained my ass off for. Let's just say I'm not a fun person to be around the day before a big race.

[juliabug]

I get really nervous before a big race or a PR attempt. I slept maybe 4 hours the night before my 70.3 last summer.

Get a lot of sleep this week so that it won't derail you if you don't sleep on Saturday night. It also takes the pressure off.

Good luck!

[Deleted]

Rarely anxious. Except London. I felt emotional. Very, very emotional. I think I put pressure on myself by going for a time. Also, PMS.

Usually I'm pretty chilled out, but weather can make me nervous that I won't enjoy it.

[cookies]

All great advice, thank you!

[Wines Not Whines]

I'm usually a wreck before a big race. I get very anxious and I have trouble falling asleep. It's definitely normal.

[fuckyourcouch]

Totally normal.
I spend a good amount of time worrying about every aspect and then eventually go zen ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ mode.

[sadlebred]

Since I regularly do 25 races/year and have been for 20 years the answer is I don't get anxious very often. I tend to get hyped up for big races but not for a normal race.

[sweetiesparkles]

I do. A lot.

I'm happy when they are over!

It's honestly a reason why this season I'm going to focus on more fitness running vs races. I love training/completing a goal but racing can sometimes take over my life in negative ways.

[emilyj]

I've been a competitive athlete since I was about six years old. I've basically gotten to the point where I am pretty zen up until the night before, then no matter how chill and zen I think I am, I always have trouble sleeping, and then the morning of the race I am a giant bundle of nerves. Apparently I hide it really well though. :-)

[mrs.jacinthe]

I get anxious in the days prior to an event, but I'm a controlling mess when that happens. So I go over every single possible outcome and contingency plan over and over to the point R probably wants to strangle me.

My last race I wasn't nervous at all on race day, because I was trying to swim happy. But then I got in the water and it was like floodgates opened in my emotional spillway and I ugly cried for at least the first quarter mile or so. Lol.

[hurricanedrunk]

Yes I get pretty nervous before a race. I usually don't sleep that well the night before either. It's much worse for longer distances or something I have trained really hard for. I've gotten better at channeling it but taper always is a mindfuck.

[thom]

I love the range of feelings everyone is sharing, and I love that Allyson Felix quote you shared cinco. Spot on for me. If I've trained hard for a race and I have a time goal I always have some nerves. I can't imagine not feeling a little emotional about something I care about and I've worked hard for. I hope you can harness that energy into something positive. Definitely focus on distraction this week. I know it's tough when you're waiting for race day and it seems to take FOREVER...

[cookies]

May 2, 2017 12:45:53 GMT -5 thom said:

I love the range of feelings everyone is sharing, and I love that Allyson Felix quote you shared cinco . Spot on for me. If I've trained hard for a race and I have a time goal I always have some nerves. I can't imagine not feeling a little emotional about something I care about and I've worked hard for. I hope you can harness that energy into something positive. Definitely focus on distraction this week. I know it's tough when you're waiting for race day and it seems to take FOREVER...

Thank you!!  Yes! longest week ever....

[wawa]

I spend a fair amount of mental energy making sure that I've crossed my t's and dottd my i's - like race morning logistics things.  But thinking about the race itself I focus on DOING it and a whole lot less on the final result.  I'm not sure I really think much about that - I just visualize the actual race happening and how I'm going to be a goddamn beast.

But yeah, I can't sleep  the night before and I wake up at the asscrack of dawn the morning of a race hyped as shit.  Mostly good butterflies rather than anxiousness though. 

Were you an anxious tester in school?  Like did you dread tests?  My mental state for races feels very similar to final exams.  I did the work and then I usually went into big exams very zen.  I'm either ready or I'm not, but worrying won't help either way.  Now let's do this!e

[cookies]

May 2, 2017 15:18:31 GMT -5 wawa said:

I spend a fair amount of mental energy making sure that I've crossed my t's and dottd my i's - like race morning logistics things.  But thinking about the race itself I focus on DOING it and a whole lot less on the final result.  I'm not sure I really think much about that - I just visualize the actual race happening and how I'm going to be a goddamn beast.

But yeah, I can't sleep  the night before and I wake up at the asscrack of dawn the morning of a race hyped as shit.  Mostly good butterflies rather than anxiousness though. 

Were you an anxious tester in school?  Like did you dread tests?  My mental state for races feels very similar to final exams.  I did the work and then I usually went into big exams very zen.  I'm either ready or I'm not, but worrying won't help either way.  Now let's do this!e

Good point! I always got nervous before big tests and worried I didn't study enough. But once I showed up it all came to me and I was fine. Same with past races. Prep is there. Just have to show up. Thank you!