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xcplayer
Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 8:35PM Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Do any of you guys step up to the line excited and ready to race, or is it pure torture for everyone else, too? I feel like for me, the nervousness comes more from the imminent pain than the pressure to perform well and I think it might be affecting my performance. How do you guys get over the fear of racing?
B-O-B spelled backwards
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 8:46PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
When toeing the line, I am neither excited nor anxious but prepared to execute the last phase of the plan that has been developed and implemented over the past few months.
asdffads
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 8:52PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I am very calm at the start of a race. I'm ready to race and execute my plan - almost to the point of being stoic. Thankfully, I don't get nervous or get the butterflies....it's just a nice, quiet calm.
mixt
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 9:02PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
In the week leading up to the race it's always on the back of my mind, and my gut kind of sinks when I think about it.

The day of the race I can't stop thinking about it.

Warming up I'm a nervous wreck, because I know I have to perform. I just want the race to be there already.

When I'm on the line I'm totally ok with how much I'm going to hurt over the next few minutes, and I can't wait until I'm into the race.

I really hate the day of part.
xcplayer
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 9:05PM - in reply to mixt Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

mixt wrote:

In the week leading up to the race it's always on the back of my mind, and my gut kind of sinks when I think about it.

The day of the race I can't stop thinking about it.

Warming up I'm a nervous wreck, because I know I have to perform. I just want the race to be there already.

When I'm on the line I'm totally ok with how much I'm going to hurt over the next few minutes, and I can't wait until I'm into the race.

I really hate the day of part.


It's pretty much the opposite for me. The day of the race I'm really excited. That ends right after the warm up, though.
Guppy
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 9:08PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
As an alpha male, I see it as yet another opportunity to assert my dominance over pvssy beta males like you.
smitty werbenjagermanjensen
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 9:08PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
of course i love racing. I put a ton of work into my training and i love being able to see what i can do.
Kicker
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 11:06PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I enjoyed it for 25 years and then stopped enjoying it.

That was my last serious race. Won my age group and called it a day.

Still go to races now and then but run easy in the middle or back of the pack.
Dwight Kashrut
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 11:15PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I love racing, and competition in general. It's fun to do things as hard as you can and see who's strongest. It does kind of suck to move to a place with a shitty running scene and just automatically win ever race I enter, though. I almost feel bad winning some of these races, but if you're gonna have a prize I'ma enter.
Wow Unbelievable
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/23/2012 11:19PM - in reply to Dwight Kashrut Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Racing was always the best part of racing for me. I was prepared and confident and didn't consider it particularly painful. OP, you may be doing something wrong.
Louie Louie
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 8:31AM - in reply to Wow Unbelievable Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Wow Unbelievable wrote:
Racing was always the best part of racing for me.


I would not be doing my job as a LetsRun poster in letting this phrase pass us by without comment, yet I'm not sure what to say.
sc runner
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 8:50AM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
no
Jurgis Rudkus
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 10:15AM - in reply to sc runner Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I don't enjoy racing at all but more for lack of interest than nervousness. Lately I've found it difficult to get excited about any races- I have a pretty good idea of what shape I'm in at any given time and I just don't have the same competitive drive I used to. I'll still go out there and race and perform well but all in all I really don't see the point of it.
slartibartfast
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 12:09PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I always used to get really worked up and nervous before races; I would feel queasy and get butterflies in my stomach and would obsess over the coming race and the pain. Strangely enough, this was when I was still quite slow. As I got faster (still not great, but good enough to be in the top 10 of almost any local race), I started getting less amped up about racing.

I still don't know if I would say that I enjoy racing; it's uncomfortable and usually I'm too focused and pushing too hard to really "enjoy" it, but I like competing and pushing myself to my limits, and I am always very happy after a good race. But during the race, unless it's the first 16 miles of a marathon, I'm not usually having fun.
legger
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 12:31PM - in reply to Dwight Kashrut Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Dwight Kashrut wrote:

I love racing, and competition in general. It's fun to do things as hard as you can and see who's strongest. It does kind of suck to move to a place with a shitty running scene and just automatically win ever race I enter, though. I almost feel bad winning some of these races, but if you're gonna have a prize I'ma enter.


I agree with this guy (although I don't live in a place where I can win races, or any race for that matter).

I'm busy with work and family and don't get nervous about races until I get there (I do think about races when training). Once start warming up I get somewhat nervous, but in a good way - I'm excited to see what I can do and who I can beat.
naughtybynature
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 12:38PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Few things match the feeling of hitting the finish line when you've run a good race. Suddenly the months of training and sacrifice feel worth it.
norphxc
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 1:07PM - in reply to Wow Unbelievable Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Wow Unbelievable wrote:

Racing was always the best part of racing for me. I was prepared and confident and didn't consider it particularly painful. OP, you may be doing something wrong.


No, I don't think the OP is doing anything wrong. I would get super nervous for years and years about racing. It wasn't until my senior year of college that I finally started feeling more comfortable on the line.

Competing against others doesn't really drive me. It's the competition against myself and the clock. Kinda like doing a work out. Other people there help push me and pull me faster, but it's the time and my past performances that are my measures of merit. But for a while I would feel the pressure of having other people around me that I'm supposed to try and beat and that intimidated me. Now I go into races with very specific plans and the challenge is to execute it. The people around me are just tools to pull me along or give me a mental boost when I pass.
kertwang
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 1:15PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
nah - I really hate racing. But I love after the race - makes it worth it when I really nail a good one and can summon the exhileration for years. I still remember great races from 30 years ago. And as recently as 3 months.

And there is no way I would train as hard without races - but I do not like doing them. Sort of a catch 22. Because I love love love being in fantastic shape for races.
j0nathan
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 1:22PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
We not even talkin about the race. We talkin about practice....
love racing
RE: Do you enjoy racing? 3/24/2012 1:30PM - in reply to xcplayer Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I love racing. Competition is my entire reason for running. I don't really enjoy the day to day of training in the way that a lot of runners seem to. I'm not the type who will keep running every day even if I'm not going to race. I don't run because I love to run. I run because I love to compete and running offers me the opportunity to do so.
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