Day 68: Race Day

Its a great day for a 50K. The Way Too Cool 50 in an incredible race that occurs just a few miles from where I live (15ish). Its the closest race and I love the fact that I get to be home afterwards.

Yesterday I posted some pre-race thoughts. After talking to a friend, they had pointed out I over looked the most obvious. What do you do when race morning comes and you feelings are engulfed by thoughts of insecurities. Those thoughts can strangle a great day.

THOUGHTS

1. "I am not ready"
Trust your training. The mind is already trying to throw a mutiny by shaking the hours and miles of faithful training. Remedy is to go back and replay the days you ran and didnt want to. Remember the days you ran fast and personal bests were shattered on days you werent trying to go fast or far. You are ready.

2. "I may want to quit"
Of course you will. Your running far. Your mind will want to quit but your will is stronger than your mind.

3. "My training was insufficient"
Your training won't cripple you. Your thoughts will. Most of the time, people go into races having overtraining or they are too tired. For the desire to get a little bit more training, they ignored the proper taper and ran to much in the days leading up to race day. The body holds on to endurance as does the mind. The worst possible deficiency is going in to race stressed.

4. "What if I feel crappy?"
Chances are the first few miles will feel like garbage. Its your nerves that make you feel like crap. Settle down. Settle in. Embrace the pain. Run to gain.

Gain greater depth.
Gain greater perspective.
Gain greater hope.
Gain greater strength.
Gain greater confidence.
Gain greater control over your mind through your will.

Now go.

JAS

Day 67: Pre-Race Calm

Tomorrow, Saturday, at 8AM is the start of the Way Too Cool 50K. After being on the waiting list, I got in. I am stoked that so many of my friends are running it. Be Change will have 10 registered runners, people in the aid stations and folks at the finish line.

On the day before the race, if I don't guard my heart and mind, I can get stressed and filled with anxiety. Yet, if methodically, I process my thoughts and keep the right perspective, I remain calm and I am able to fully absorb the race and its value.

Here are the four key anchors that I rehearse in my mind.

1. Ignore the Phantom Pains
On the days and hours leading up to the start, your body will have twitches and aches that are non threatening and often imagined to be worst than they are. Known as phantom pains, they are real feelings amplified by anxiety. Give them ZERO VALUE.

2. Race Against Yourself, Dominate
Lining up at race, I sometimes head to the back of the pack in the starting shoot. Dead last. In that, I relieve the pressure of being hunted and become the hunter. One by one, I can chase the person ahead of me. Doing this, its allows me to race against myself and my close the distance on my terms. I am not a runner. Sometimes I am a jogger, mostly I am a plodder. If I set my goals and pursue them, then I win regardless of the outcome.

3. Set and Chase Micro Goals
I choose to look at the race as a series of smaller goals. First goal it getting up on race day morning. Then getting checked in. Then to start and then through the first mile. By the time my nerves settle at mile 4 or 5, I have already had 6 or 7 wins. These small wins linked together give me a the confidence to keep moving forward. Late in the game, when I am feeling tore up and exhaustion is strangling each breathe, a win or an accomplished micro goal can be the next step.

4. Finish
Although I seek to do the race in the smallest amount of time, that is secondary to the overall experience of the race. If for some reason, medical, cramping, or just plain old "This Day Sucks" cover the distance by readjusting your time goals to be a few seconds faster than finish.

DFL is better than DNF. DNF is better than DNS.
(For newer racers: Dead Freakin Last is better than Did Not Finish. Did Not Finish is better than Did Not Start.)

Now, run, jog, or walk. Just move.

Whether 5 Steps, 5K, 50K, or 50M and beyond...

Jas

Photo: At Mile 46 of 52 on the Double California International Marathon