As runners, we experience much anxiety that builds inside every one of us as race day approaches. For me, the bigger the meet, the more difficult it was to sleep on race night. For weeks I would envision race day and what would unfold that day. It is something we all do, but no anxiety was greater than that which came with the first meet of the year. Every personal best that I had envisioned, every goal I had set, and every mile that I had run in preparation, finally being put to the test in just a few short days.
Sometimes the anxiety can be too much and it can make our race day one we’d like to forget. So how do we battle the race week jitters? Well I came up with a few things that I do on race week, and a few things I would think about that will hopefully help you as you prepare for race day, especially the first meet of track season 2013! (Wow! It’s already 2013?)
First off, Have Fun!
If we put too much pressure on the results of the weekend we forget that running really can be fun. Forgetting to have fun can lead to stress that can slow us down on race day. So lighten up, do the things you need to in order to prepare for the weekend, but have fun while doing them.
Eat Right
Everyone has a favorite meal that they prefer on the night before a race. If you do not, here are a few things that I’ve enjoyed before my best races. Pasta is always a good answer. I prefer my pasta with some chicken in it because I like having a Carb-Protein blend in my system. I also really like steak and potatoes because it gives me similar nutrients. When I was on the road for meets I would eat a steak and mashed potatoes as often as I could because I raced well with it once, and why mess with a good thing?
Hydrate
All week long approaching a meet I would make an effort to drink a little more water so that on race day I was properly hydrated. Just make note of it in your mind so when you walk past a drinking fountain you remember to take a sip. The little bit of difference in hydration can make a big difference come the weekend.
Strides
The day before a race I always found my way to a track to get a few strides in. I would do whatever amount of mileage coach told me to do, followed by a few 50-70 meter sprints to get the spring in my legs. I always felt as though the days I could not get to a track before a race I felt a little more flat on race day. A tip with these strides is to accelerate slowly and build up to top speed for a small moment. I never did a full sprint to avoid making myself tight
Talk to your Coach
Try to take a moment, sit with your coach, and set specific goals and a race plan for the upcoming meet. I would make a plan BEFORE I was at the meet, so when I had time that I was left alone to my thoughts I could imagine how I was going to run the race. Thinking the race through was a good opportunity to prepare for the pain that was to ensue. And the better prepared I was for the pain the easier it was to push through it when it came (usually halfway through the race)
Last of all, Have Fun!
Again, the last bit of advice about race week is to have fun. Although I recommend against a lot of physical activities that use a lot of energy I do think it’s important to have fun on race week. That is why I say it twice. By having fun we release stress that will leave us feeling flat on race day. So go out there, have fun with your friends, and forget about the anxiety. When you are preparing for the race remember why it is you run in the first place and prepare for the race knowing that no matter the outcome, you gave it your all. So in summary, do all the other things I said to do, but have fun doing it. NO PRESSURE, It’s just the season opener!