RunningAHEAD - Topic: Anxiety before a race?

OCBrian

325th place or bust!

posted: 5/14/2008 at 1:58 PM

I suppose I'm not the only one to get anxiety before a race, am I? I've got a 5K that starts in an hour and I've been nervous about it all morning. This is really annoying because I've run that distance (and more) pretty regularly. AND, it's just a little race of a small group from work with no prizes. Last year I came in 40th of 45 with a time of 31:48, this year I hope to bring that down to 28:00 or so which might move me up about 5 or 6 places. Big grin

(Note: that's 45 people TOTAL in the race...) Isn't it annoying to get nervous about something like this?

PR: 5K 22:41, 10K 51:05, HM 1:59, Sprint Tri: done!

Bonkin

posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:05 PM

Quote from OCBrian on 5/14/2008 at 1:58 PM:

Isn't it annoying to get nervous about something like this?

Yes. But it's totally normal. It probably won't go away completely, either, but may get better with more experience. Have a great race!

When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:08 PM

I have found that the first time I run a particular distance I'm not too stressed...but after that I have a PR to break, which freaks me out. Hope your race was fun. How cool that you do this through your work! Smile

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Mississippi

posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:14 PM

I almost always get stressed out before a race! I'm slowly getting used to it though. Good luck and have fun! Be sure to tell us about it!!! Smile

Michelle

Mississippi

posted: 5/14/2008 at 4:37 PM

How did your race go?

Michelle

OCBrian

325th place or bust!

posted: 5/14/2008 at 4:39 PM

Thanks for the comments! It was a little bit into the race before the nervousness finally settled down. So it was a nice little annual 5K here at work in Huntington Beach. Two and 1/2 times around the field then down the street and onto the railroad tracks, out and back. The temperature was warmer than I like for running, about 72, with very little wind. I ended up with 28:52 - not my best time but better than last year (one of my first 5k runs). Plus, about 2K of the distance is essentially trail running along the tracks so that slows me down a bit. Whew, now to try and get back to work while recovering...

PR: 5K 22:41, 10K 51:05, HM 1:59, Sprint Tri: done!

Mississippi

posted: 5/14/2008 at 4:45 PM

Quote from OCBrian on 5/14/2008 at 4:39 PM:

Thanks for the comments! It was a little bit into the race before the nervousness finally settled down. So it was a nice little annual 5K here at work in Huntington Beach. Two and 1/2 times around the field then down the street and onto the railroad tracks, out and back. The temperature was warmer than I like for running, about 72, with very little wind. I ended up with 28:52 - not my best time but better than last year (one of my first 5k runs). Plus, about 2K of the distance is essentially trail running along the tracks so that slows me down a bit. Whew, now to try and get back to work while recovering...

Great job! I'm happy to hear that your nerves finally calmed down. Running a 5k on a course that is partially a trail is difficult, at least I think so. That's interesting that your work holds the race. I would love to have a race included in a work day here or there!

Michelle

BenBuck6

posted: 5/14/2008 at 4:45 PM

Its been a while...but I will say that I played ALOT of sports in HS (very small school - everyone had to play everything) and nothing compared nerve wise to pre-race jitters. I think it is b/c it is the only sport where your biggest opponent and only teammate is yourself.

2008 GOALS GET BELOW 175 (at 175 now) RUN 6:00 MILE (at 6:29) RUN BELOW 25:30 5K RUN BELOW 55:00 10K RUN A MARATHON (DEC. 6TH - MEMPHIS - ST JUDE)

JimHowe

posted: 5/14/2008 at 5:45 PM

My first race was in November 1978 and I got nervous. Now, almost 30 years and 476 races later, I still get nervous--probably even more so than I did before my first one. In a finesse sport like basketball or golf, the jitters can cause you to miss a free throw or a putt. The cool thing about running is that same anxious feeling can work in your favor once the starter's gun goes off. I think its what gives us the ability keep up paces in a race that we could never do in a practice run. Yes, its normal and not something to be concerned. When I stop getting keyed up before a race I'll know its time to find another hobby.

Age 60 plus best times: 5k 19:00, 10k 38:35, 10m 1:05:30, HM 1:24:09, 30k 2:04:33

OCBrian

325th place or bust!

posted: 5/18/2008 at 9:49 PM

I thought I would post my speed and heart rate data from the 5K. Do most people run the 5K races by feel instead of by data? I usually just try not to go out too fast and get faster as I can. I'm almost 47 and not very fast so this works for me.

You can see the race started out fast but I brought it back down after I noticed that. Then it was pretty smooth except for a few times I had to pass people on the trail (not a lot of room) until I bumped it up a bit with 1/2 mile to go. Then I sprinted the last little bit to cut those last 5 seconds off my time. Big grin

Looks like my heart rate went over my 100% value (220-47) that last half mile but I survived.

PR: 5K 22:41, 10K 51:05, HM 1:59, Sprint Tri: done!

Anxiety before a race? (Read 612 times)