How Can I Embrace the Race, not Fear it?

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    savethepandas

    Member since 01/18/2013.

    3 posts. Last post 6 years ago.
    11 years ago 01/18/2013 3:36pm EST

    Hello all,

    I find it easy to push my limits in training, but when I get to race time, I hold back. I don't know what it is, but I never go into a race thinking "Let's do this." I also have a very defensive attitude and do not feel confident. And I think this mental attitude causes me to suffer physically. It could be two laps into a 3k, and I feel like I am hurting, and my legs just do no feel fully there. At least in the very beginning of a race, I want to feel comfortable and ready to kick ass. But I don't. As soon as that gun goes off my legs sends me signals telling me to just stop. This never happens during hard workouts, but come race time, I freeze up like a god damn crocopotamus.

    All advice is greatly appreciated.

  • areader

    Anonymous Poster

    11 years ago 01/18/2013 4:19pm EST
    re: savethepandas

    You might want to pick up a copy of Running Within (http://www.amazon.com/Running-Within-Mastering-Body-Mind-Spirit-Connection/dp/0880118326), the authors deal with this issue.

  • JustMyTwoBits

    Anonymous Poster

    11 years ago 01/18/2013 4:24pm EST
    re: savethepandas

    Race more. If you seldom race, each one seems so very important. If you race all the time, each individual race seems less and less important, and becomes part of the process. If you have a bad one, the next one is right around the corner to redeem yourself.

  • registered

    savethepandas

    Member since 01/18/2013.

    3 posts. Last post 6 years ago.
    11 years ago 01/19/2013 7:10am EST
    re: savethepandas

    Thank you,

    I appreciate the input. I am going to get that book, it looks like it could help.

  • registered

    runn

    Member since 01/21/2005.

    12,115 posts. Last post 1 day ago.
    11 years ago 01/19/2013 8:12am EST
    re: JustMyTwoBits

    JustMyTwoBits wrote:

    Race more. If you seldom race, each one seems so very important. If you race all the time, each individual race seems less and less important, and becomes part of the process. If you have a bad one, the next one is right around the corner to redeem yourself.

    Great advice (as was the book) but I went through a period where I seldom raced and each race became so important I basically choked.

    I raced more and I relaxed- I could make up for a bad day and ended up not having them.

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