Dealing with pre-race jitters

[Telephil]

So I just got my time trial start time for valley of the sun this weekend. 1:14 on Friday and I'm a freaking mess. Sweaty palms, heart racing, heavy legs, can't sit still, etc. And it's still two days away. This is a HUGE race for me AND my first of the year, which is why I'm so damn nervous. I know this can be channeled into positive energy, but not sure how. I guess deep breathing, positive thoughts, etc. How do you deal with it?

[yesIsaidyes]

just try to survive...soak it in...you know when the clock starts, you will be ready...just keep seeing yourself 2 mins into the race, all pistons going and you will calm down. Visualize yourself racing, not moments before the race...works for me.

[bagtagley]

Try skiing. Very therapeutic.

I usually don't get nervous until 10-15 racers before my start. Then, I find puking a little in my mouth to be quite un-helpful...so avoid that.

[Viva]

Towards my last few years of racing, I had confidence. Also, excitement about the race, but not obsession.

Phil, how long have you been racing? Has this event something to do with moving up to cat II?

Best o' luck, Doood!

[Woodsy]

remember that device we spoke of on the phone?
well if you cant find one just use your hand.
best relaxation ever.

[yesIsaidyes]

This is a HUGE race for me AND my first of the year,

Give yourself a little breathing room...if you are trying to upgrade to Cat II, a big regional race, and first of the year, is not the place to do it. Think of it as a fitness test that could go really really well. I am not saying don't go for it, GO FOR IT, but don't put so much pressure on yourself at this one race that you waste all those hours (haysus maria) that you have spent on the bike already this season. You have a long season, you will get the upgrade (if not now, soon), just go out there and work up a sweat.

[altagirl]

I'm probably the wrong person to be giving advice here, but on the rare occasions where I pull my shit together for a race...

Positive thinking and visualization are key. I'll constantly tell myself that the adrenaline that can make my heart beat wildly and legs feel like they weigh a million pounds was totally under my control. That I can convert it to power and strength at will. So instead of just visualizing riding the course - I visualized the whole situation - starting to freak out watching other riders go - the sick feeling in my gut that I normally get, and then taking control of it and turning it into positive energy.

It made it a lot easier to actually DO that when it came time to race. I've tried convincing myself to just not get nervous - and that didn't work. I found it more useful to figure out how to deal with it instead, and practice dealing with the stress in my head.

I also only allow myself to think positive thoughts getting ready and waiting at the start. Which takes a lot of effort because what tends to come to mind is generally all negative when I'm stressing, and that sure as hell doesn't help.

Good luck! You're in amazing shape and you're prepared - go kick some ass!

[homerjay]

I once went anaerobic in a porta-pottie taking a pre-race dump, so I don't know....it helped when I consciously tried to change that nervous, bad energy into excitement and positive energy.

[Buster Highmen]

So I just got my time trial start time for valley of the sun this weekend. 1:14 on Friday and I'm a freaking mess. Sweaty palms, heart racing, heavy legs, can't sit still, etc. And it's still two days away. This is a HUGE race for me AND my first of the year, which is why I'm so damn nervous. I know this can be channeled into positive energy, but not sure how. I guess deep breathing, positive thoughts, etc. How do you deal with it?

Depends.

[yesIsaidyes]

^ i just got that...

[bagtagley]

excitement and positive energy.

A good crap will do that every time.

[Telephil]

So it is for my cat 2 upgrade. I'm pretty anxious to get it so I can race with the guys on this team. That's really the only reason I switched anyway, to race with the 1,2 team and I would like to do it fairly early on. I already have points, but not enough and none from out of state races which is required due to the small fields in UT. I think I'm actually going pretty good right now given how early in the year it is, but I just want to have a good race.

And Viva, this is my 3rd year racing, 2nd year road.

[Oarhead]

here is my personal take on the subject:

Don't ever question yourself in the days leading up to the race. You *HAVE* done everything necessary to do well in the race. You *CANNOT* change anything about your fitness in the last 2 days before the race - it is a done deal so don't worry about it. The only thing that you can change is your mindset, don't doubt yourself, that is jsut doing the competitors job for them without even racing. Don't let others get in your head, they don't control your body, you do, fuck'em. Don't focus on the days you missed when you were sick or the workout that you tanked, to be perfectly honest they don't mean shit in the big picture of your training, you are ready for this race. Think about how hard you have trained and how good you feel - it sounds dumb but when you take the milk out of the fridge thnk about how fucking light it is 'cause you are that fucking strong and fit. Walking around your house is easier than it was a few weeks ago etc because your legs are ready to put out some big wattage. laugh all you want but these things help your mind accept that you are ready to go.

At the venue the most important thing is to NOT CHANGE ANYTHING FROM YOUR NORMAL TRAINING SESSION ROUTINE. You are doing the same thing that you do in training week in week out. Race day is no different, you are still on your bike that you have been training on, it is still bicycling, nothing new is going to happen or appear so why change anything. You don't train to do something 'extra special good', you train to ride your bike at a certain speed and certain heart rate or physical pain level so just go out and do it again on race day (but a little bit faster because you are rested and fit).

Do *YOUR* warm up routine that you probably already have figured out. Don't change anythng last minute. Don't doubt yourself. Don't listen to what other people do for a warm up. The training sessions are for messing around with that stuff and figuring out what works for you before a ball buster. Remember to breathe, sounds stupid but people do stupid stuff in warm-ups and race starts -> like going lactic in the porta john because of hyperventilating or something

Do what you need to make yourself feel good before racing. If that means chatting it up with friends and joking around to relax or sitting in a dark room listening to death metal or visualizing then go do it even if it means removing yourself from the scene for a bit. Race venues are a time warp, you are dragging your feet and it takes froever before your race and then suddenly you are racing and you don't remember where the time went.

The number one thing that I did on race day was a type of visualization. I would sit in a dark corner and come to grips with the pain that was going to come. It *IS* coming. Whether you win or lose it is really really really going to hurt so just accept it. The only eay to make it hurt less is to do really well and be happy with the result so tell yourself that the pain is your reward. Onec I had come to grips with it (it took about 20 minutes for me) then go out and look through everybody and everything because it is practically done.

When you race, don't go apeshit and forget all of the training that you ahve done. Your body may feel weird and you might feel like it is super easy and super hard at the same time (I always had this). Once you settle off the start sequence and are in the bars, immediately tell yourself to relax and go through the check list that gets you into your groove: heartrate? Pain level? speed? technique? Hit your pace that you decided upon before the race and after a few minutes check in again and make your decision about pushing it or maintaining.

You have done it all before so it is nothing new. Nothing is a problem. If they are delayed with start times - no problem, you can deal with that. You are ready - don't just think it or believe it, KNOW it.

sorry for the length.

[m1e448]

Just tell yourself that this is it and do it when you get up to the start line. Do you have to make it for the first race to race with this team or what? it sounds to me like you've been training pretty hard and doing everything right so just give it you best. I always try to get better sleep two nights before as I don't always sleep the best the night before, especially if you are in some Vegas hotel.

[Vinman]

I get that way in the car on the way to whatever triathlon I'm racing. I can usually calm it somewhat by going over my race in my head, visualizing the course legs and setting up my transition area.

I try to make everything a routine on race day, from how I lay out my bike and run gear to checking the tire pressue to how I warm up to when i warm up and when I put on my wetsuit.

but maybe the most important part is knowing that you have prepared, believing in yourself and just going out and putting out a preformance that you know you can hit based on your training efforts.

Good luck mang, rip it up.

I know some of this is prolly of no use or repetitive

[Greguar]

This might be kind of weird, but it has worked for me in the past for triathlons, mountain bike races, and rally racing. I focus all of my energy, my nerves, and adrenalin on a theoretical situation like saving someones life. I have one person in particular that I focus on. I tell myself how hard would I push to get that task accomplished and relate whatever I am about to compete in to that. It gets me super focused and I end up at the starting line with chills going up and down my spine and goosebumps all over.

[shirk]

Go hit on hot chicks. Total takes your mind off the race. Atleast thats what worked for me when I raced XC in highschool.

[Woodsy]

have a donut

[bigtrubs]

So I just got my time trial start time for valley of the sun this weekend. 1:14 on Friday and I'm a freaking mess. Sweaty palms, heart racing, heavy legs, can't sit still, etc. And it's still two days away. This is a HUGE race for me AND my first of the year, which is why I'm so damn nervous. I know this can be channeled into positive energy, but not sure how. I guess deep breathing, positive thoughts, etc. How do you deal with it?

I've actually been feeling exactly the same way since registering for the big mountain ski comp at lake louise next week, it's a WEEK away and I've had an upset stomach every day, haven't been hungry, and have been really anxious going to bed. I totally feel your pain- the only thing that has taken my mind off of things is working on things I enjoy like crocheting or making art, and the fact that I had 2 midterms and 2 assignments due today definitely kept my mind off of it. Make sure you sleep enough and visualize your game plan. One of the things that has also helped me is watching video footage of the women's final from last year's comp- seeing how I could improve on what they were doing in their lines.

GOOD LUCK!

[Oarhead]

Did I miss the update? How did it go?

[Telephil]

I was hoping to avoid this, but given the hype that I made it out to be and all the great advice, I should probably chime in.

The race didn't go as I had hoped, especially the TT, but I had fun. I woke up in Phoenix friday morning with cold/flu-ish symptoms. I tried to get it out of my head, but I could feel something there. We show up to the TT, hang out for a bit, get dressed, start warming up on the trainer. I was feeling pretty good at that point. I get up on the start ramp and am feeling super psyched. I rocketed out of there focused on the guy 30 seconds ahead of me, hoping to catch him pretty quickly and guy number two by shortly after the halfway point. I get the first guy within probably 2 miles (he was going incredibly slow), but it was still a motivator. The next guy would prove to be a bit more difficult. At about the halfway point (6.6 miles) I was REALLY hurting, not thinking too positively. I got passed at the turnaround, which was discouraging, but that guy ended up 6th in the TT. Anyway, at somewhere around 9 or 10 miles I threw up all over myself 3 times, then another 10 when I finished. I don't know if it was being sick, or the exertion, or what. I haven't felt that terrible in a long time though. I don't really know how much time being sick cost me, I don't think much to be honest, but I ended up 57th of 106 in the TT. Certainly not the result I wanted, it's always been my weakest discipline, I still have a lot of work to do.

The road race the next day went much better. There was a break of three that stayed off and won, I tried to go with another guy about 3 miles from the finish heading up the last climb. We held the field off until about 1k and got swallowed up. I at least had enough to finish with the group, which put me in 45th overall.

The crit the next day was super fun. I was really nervous racing a crit with 100 guys in it, but the course was really great, 3-4 lanes wide in most places, only one short stretch of 2 lane road (major carnage). I felt really, really good aerobically the whole time, but my legs didn't seem to have much at the end. Anyway, going into the last lap, there was a major crash going into the two lane stretch, at least 15 guys, one of which got really, really messed up. He was still laying in the gutter on my cool down lap while they were working on him, hope he's alright. Anyway, I finished 22nd in the crit, 34th overall after that. So.....I was happy to move up as much as I did after my terrible TT, but still not what I was hoping for. It was a fun race though, a good season opener.

Thanks for all the thoughts and positive words, I was thinking about them all the way to phoenix.

[Oarhead]

Thanks for the update. The season is just beginning and you had a good showing considering you heaved all over yourself. Hope that dude is ok. Crits were my favorite but sometimes they could be a bit sketchy.

Good luck in the next race.