Tips to help control your nerves on race day
Do you ever get nervous or embarrassed at the start of a race?
No matter what type of event I do I always seem to get the pre race nerves.
From when I was in school and competing in the athletics competitions, baring in mind I was a sprinter and these races I would only take a maximum of 12-25 seconds to complete I was always a bag of nerves.
Now I challenge myself at an OCR or 5/10k distance those same feelings come back.
What if I make a fool of myself?
What if I cant complete it?
What if I get horrendous cramp and have to stop?
All these feelings go though my head and my stomach feels like it has a heard of elephants stampeding across it.
The worst is on the drive there, registration and in the warm up zone, when reality hits and I really have to do this.
As soon as I step my foot across the start line the nerves start to disappear and my confidence starts to come back, and it's usually shear relief as I cross the finish line that I made it.
My question to you is how do you control your nerves?
When I train and work with my clients we try and make it as realistic to the race environment as we can.
Through my training systems we know everybody is fully prepared physically to take part in the race, and mentally we talk about the events and what's likely to happen at them to help keep us focused.
Other tips that can help are entering a race with other people, that help and support with you every step of the way can really boost your confidence.
I love having supporters around the course. Its a great distraction to look out for people around the course. Laura and Monty came to my last event and Monty was at cheering people on and I loved seeing him to keep me going.
What motivates you on a course?
Thanks
Gemma 'cool as a cucumber' Spackman
