How do you prep yourself on race day? Mentally and physically speaking. The physical part I seem to be okay with, sometimes I feel like I'm psyching myself out mentally though. I'm always loose and try to elevate my heart rate right before the starting gun but sometimes start to doubt my ability when the gun goes off. It drives me nuts - I haven't run a race yet where I didn't think I could of done better.
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I don't race that much so on race day, I'm a big ball of nerves. I can really channel that nervousness into speed (relatively) fairly well. I still spend a lot of time focusing on the race though.
For physical prep, I slowly jog a few miles and really stretch a lot. I bounce around at the starting line alot too but that's mostly due to nerves.
For physical prep, I slowly jog a few miles and really stretch a lot. I bounce around at the starting line alot too but that's mostly due to nerves.
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Only time I was real nervous prior to a race was before my marathon.
Most of the time, I just find myseld a nice quiet corner somewhere and stretch. Do about a mile or so warmup.
Most of the time, I just find myseld a nice quiet corner somewhere and stretch. Do about a mile or so warmup.
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If I let my emotions get the best of me, they'd kill me.
I really try to stay as calm as possible, even running my first mile intentionally slow. I hold back until warm. It seems to help.
When I go out hard, I die out there.
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I just go out and think "Yeah, been there, done that. Now let's just do it a little faster." I was only nervous once: before my first half that I didn't think I could finish.
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Me, get up early, get my breakfast on. Drink some gatorade and water. Drive to the race and make sure I leave plenty early that I get good parking.
The night before, I lay out all of my post race stuff (water, recovery drink, power bars), get my ROD (race outfit of the day) together, depending on the length of the race back my goodie pack with gel/gu. I also make sure I have an extra shirt and towel in my bag.
I also set up my race number ( I have one of the race belts which makes it easier.
I do a lot of work the night before so I do not forget anything.
The night before, I lay out all of my post race stuff (water, recovery drink, power bars), get my ROD (race outfit of the day) together, depending on the length of the race back my goodie pack with gel/gu. I also make sure I have an extra shirt and towel in my bag.
I also set up my race number ( I have one of the race belts which makes it easier.
I do a lot of work the night before so I do not forget anything.
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Just keep your distance...that's the best advice.
I'm not really nervous before races...just really excited, rob.
I'm not really nervous before races...just really excited, rob.
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I really need to work on this. I get really anxious and nervous. I used to just go and run the race...not even warmed up. Now, if I'm running short races, like 5K's, I'll do a mile before the race. My first few miles training are all about getting into the run and aren't very productive for anything else.
Mentally during the race, I'm going to start working out a plan for the mile splits: like at mile one I want to be at 8:20, mile 2: 7:45....this will hopefully save me for the end of the races for shorter ones. I start out too fast and then slow down too much. So, yeah, paying attention to the mental and the physical is pretty important before and during the race.
Has anyone else ever run a race and thought: just why am I DOING this? Sometimes I think that. Usually during 5K's. And then it's over and I feel good and want to do another one just to do better. :)
Mentally during the race, I'm going to start working out a plan for the mile splits: like at mile one I want to be at 8:20, mile 2: 7:45....this will hopefully save me for the end of the races for shorter ones. I start out too fast and then slow down too much. So, yeah, paying attention to the mental and the physical is pretty important before and during the race.
Has anyone else ever run a race and thought: just why am I DOING this? Sometimes I think that. Usually during 5K's. And then it's over and I feel good and want to do another one just to do better. :)
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YES! Or, "I could stop right now. Or right now. Or right now..." The whole way through the race.
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PRIOR to every race, I'm ready to quit racing all together. I have serious pre-race jitters issues. It's probably a good thing that I'm the only one awake in the house before I go to a race.
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I try to do mental training along with the physical training. Since raceday is usually a family affair, getting five persons packed, transported, and in place so I can be on the starting line takes my mind off the race. So I rely on the weeks leading up to the race during my workouts thinking about the race, the course, my pace, strategies, and such. Then come time to line up is when lately, I actually start to get my "game face" on. I guess having raced so many times, it's become second nature and shifting into the mindset happens pretty smoothly.
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YES! Or, "I could stop right now. Or right now. Or right now..." The whole way through the race.
Big fat :1: on both counts.
Big fat :1: on both counts.
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"I'll quit at the lightpost....ok, I'll quit at that trash can....ok, I will quit at the next intersection....ok, the next intersection...Ok, I will quit at the blue car....ok, at the white truck....oh, well...there is the finish line." Is what can go through my mind.
I always tell myself I am not going to race this, just use it as a training run with organized water spots. That gets me over the first mile so I don't kill myself, and gives me the illusion of an "out" should things really go bad.
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