I've witnessed athletes vomit, cry, fake injuries, warm up so long they miss the start, urinate, and even arrive on crutches...

Two days til the Mt. Lemmon Half-Marathon. My thoughts? Flawless... not. 


What if I wake up, my stomach filled with butterflies and then it gradually becomes uncomfortable? What if I wake up feeling tired and not pumped? What if I eat too much before the start time? What if my pace lags behind and isn't the goal pace I'm looking for? How will the weather be? Asics Speedstars or Cumulus 12? What if I get too uncomfortable during racing? What if my old injury starts acting up? I hope I don't forget to pack anything... 


I couldn't get the race off my mind that I kept putting off blogging for almost three days. And what the hell.. I could've started writing about it! So here goes... 


I look all right on the outside but deep down, I'm nervous and of course, each of us have experienced some sort of pre-race anxiety. If we deny it, we'd be lying. As it nears, I'm always seeing it as a matter of life-and-death--it's a sign I want to succeed and be the best I can be.


Life-and-death. How ridiculous! I recall my early racing days in Cross Country when I'd get butterflies and my bladder shrinks to the size of a pea. Once I run the course and reach the finish line (which I always do), I look back and laugh about how being extremely nervous is unnecessary. It's a huge waste of energy. It's healthy to have a little jitteriness but not JITTERINESS to the point you "vomit, cry, fake injuries, warm up so long you miss the start, urinate, and even arrive on crutches." --all credit goes to Pete Magill. I found it hilarious and it sure did alleviate my pre-race nervousness.


I looked up quotes, inspirations, stories, advice, tips about staying calm on race day. Here they are:


10 signs of race jitters - Pete Magill


5) WAITING UNTIL PEAK CONDITION

Come on, admit it, some of us postpone racing until we can reach that promised land known as "peak condition." We refuse to compete at anything less than optimal fitness for fear of looking foolish.

Only one problem: Racing is an integral part of the journey toward "peak condition."

Racing makes us stronger both physiologically and psychologically.

Besides, "peak condition" describes a Utopian future that, for most of us, never arrives.


7) ROUTINE CHANGES

Panic-stricken runners sometimes change their routine in advance of races. They skip work. Dodge ordinary chores. Sleep more. Avoid stairs. Do extra stretching.

But operating outside our normal routine only increases our anxiety.

Instead, stay in your comfort zone. Go to work or school. Wash the car. Take out the garbage.

As uber-coach Jack Daniels says, "Most great performances come when you're not trying to do it. When you try to do something special, it usually backfires."


 4. Try deep breathing. When you're anxious, your breathing becomes shallow. Try breathing from your belly. You'll feel an instant calming effect and you'll also help prevent side stitches. 


 6. Run without expectations. Setting high expectations is one of the biggest causes of pre-race anxiety because you put a lot of pressure on yourself to meet a certain goal. Put your expectations aside and just focus on running your best. You'll feel much more calm, which may actually help you run a great race. 
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A few of my race strategies I frequently use:


During race: FOCUS ON THE NOW. The mile you're in. Feel your every stride, frequency, breathing, how you plant your feet, move your arms and how lucky you are to be able to run!

When you're hurting and hanging on for dear life.... just remember pain is only temporary. Suck it up and you'll have all the recovery time from the finish line up to your next workout!