My first Iron distance race is this weekend! I am kind of nervous and kind of excited, so I have been going through a whole range of emotions for the past few days. But I remember being this keyed up before every "new" race distance, so it is to be expected.
As I was listening to the Everyday Cyclist podcast, Graeme was recounting his experience at a 100 mile mountain bike race. He mentioned a situation during the race were he got really pissed off and therefore did not do what he needed to do because he was reacting angrily to another rider. (In this case, he didn't take in enough food/water at the aid station and rode away in a huff -- later he DNF'd.)
His point was basically this -- Do not let your attitude during the race undo all the preparation, work, and sacrifices you have made. Because he had a bad attitude, he wasn't listening to his body and it ultimately cost him.
I know that at some point during my race, I will be in a bad mood. I need to make sure that I can identify that and work to remedy it. For me, taking some extra carbs usually helps, along with focusing on positive things, like family or friends.
Here are some tips for dealing with the pre-race jitters:
1. I look back through my training log and write down the notable workouts. This can be because they were really hard, or the weather was terrible, or I had a great achievement. Even just looking at the amount of training I have done is motivating. I tend to gloss over things that I've done in the past, but this is the time to look back and say "look at what I did!" (This is one of the times you can really reap the benefits of logging your workouts -- even if it is just the date, time/distance, and how you felt.)
2. Find a TV series or movies that will entertain you and has nothing to do with triathlon. Since I have no job, I really don't have anything to distract me from thinking about the race 24/7. I force myself to watch shows on Netflix to give me a break from worrying.
3. Be appreciative of the process. I am very lucky to be able to put all of my focus into this sport that I love and to have the health and ability to pursue my dreams. There are millions of people who do not have this opportunity.
4. Resist the urge for "panic training." In looking back at your training, you might think that you have not done enough. Maybe you got hurt, or had some event that disrupted your training. But that is the past -- you can't fix it now. Many coaches say that it is better to go in 10% undertrained than 1% overtrained. Your taper is time to rest up and let your body repair itself.
5. Use visualization to "pre-race." Because my shorter workouts now leave me with more time, I use that time to go over the race in my head. I record a voice memo where I talk through the whole race day, from pre-race to the finish. I'll talk about my race strategy (like HR zones), nutrition plan, and objectives for each segment, as if I were a sport commentator watching me race. Just recording this helps me to get things straight in my head and identify issues while I have time to correct them. Then I'll listen to the recording at least once a day, while doing some deep breathing. I have found this to be immensely helpful for both preparation and the actual race.
6. Don't freak out if you can't sleep the night before. Plenty of rest in the days prior will offset this. Assume that you will have problems sleeping the night before, and do what has helped you in the past.
Writing this blog has been quite therapeutic for me. Before I do my next Ironman, I'll probably look back on this and laugh.
The Norseman Extreme Triathlon is this Saturday, August 3rd in Eidfjord, Norway. Sometime in the future I'll post my nutrition plan as well as some after action comments of how the race and the fueling went. My toe is pretty much healed up, so I am ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead and to keep a positive attitude. Wish me luck!
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