How to Overcome Pre-Race Anxiety: Practical Strategies for Endurance Athletes

What is, and maybe more importantly, how can we overcome pre-race anxiety? Pre-race anxiety is a common experience for many endurance athletes. Some may call this performance anxiety. Performance anxiety is described as an uncomfortable experience that impacts an athlete physically, mentally, and behaviorally. The way an athlete responds to feeling these changes is very unique. The discomfort athletes experience may often leave them questioning their abilities and whether they are truly prepared for the race. It’s also important to understand that performance anxiety and confidence are related to one another in an inverse relationship. When an athlete is feeling confident, performance anxiety usually decreases and vice versa.

No matter the experience level of an athlete, navigating these feelings can be challenging! Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, triathlon, or long-distance event, the anticipation of race day can bring about a mix of excitement and nervousness. A “sweet spot” exists between pressure and performance for athletes, known as the inverted U hypothesis. According to this model, performance changes for athletes are based on their arousal levels, including mental and physical alertness.

While some pre-race nerves can be beneficial for an athlete by helping them stay alert and ready, too much or too little arousal or anxiety can interfere with their performance. The key is learning how to overcome pre-race anxiety and manage these nerves is by becoming self-aware. This means we are in tune with how your body responds during these higher-pressure moments.

Here are some strategies to implement to assist athletes in managing their pre-race nerves:

Control the Controllable

On race day, athletes face several uncertainties, mostly outside their control. These unknowns can cause some athletes to feel heightened senses of nervousness or anxiety. Learning to identify aspects of control is a key component of success.  Before the race, an athlete can determine what elements are under and outside their control. By identifying what is outside their control, they can work on accepting that they exist and shift their energy into strategizing for the elements under their control. Some examples that could help an athlete feel in control on race day would be sticking to their routine, arriving on time, having their clothes and gear ready the night before, and preparing their nutrition and hydration in advance.  

Connect to the Breath

Breathing is one of the most powerful tools that an athlete has control over in their body. Intentional breathwork exercises help regulate the parasympathetic nervous system by transitioning into long, deep breaths, usually from the diaphragm. Breathing is also directly connected to heart rate. So, if an athlete is feeling anxious at the start of a race, they might feel uncomfortable since their heart rate is most likely rapidly increasing and their breathing is becoming more shallow and quick. Some examples of breathwork exercises that could be implemented on race day include box breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. The most important thing is to practice their breathing techniques before race day so that they become easy to implement at the moment.

Focus on the Present Moment

When feeling anxious, it is easy for the mind to begin worrying about the outcome. When this happens, focus and concentration might also be challenged.  Although the result is important, the athlete needs to try to be mindful and present at the moment to attend to their specific needs. Being able to bring awareness back to the present moment can assist athletes in focusing on the “what ifs.” Some ways to become more present include paying attention to the breath, feeling the ground beneath the feet, and listening to the surrounding environment.

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Develop a Pre-Race Mantra

Mantras are short phrases or words an athlete connect with that help them focus, stay motivated, boost confidence, and help them stay positive.  Mantras are powerful to use because they can serve as an anchor to help the athlete become grounded when they feel the pre-race anxiety increase. Some examples of mantras include “One step at a time,” “Breathe,” and “Trust my training.” I am strong.  I am prepared.”; and “I am a warrior.” Mantras are extremely personal to the athlete. The word or phrase they choose does not need to mean anything to anyone else. Only they have to connect with it!

Reframe Anxiety as Excitement

As mentioned earlier, when an athlete experiences performance anxiety, they will notice changes physically, mentally, and behaviorally. It is very common for athletes to dislike the way their body speaks to them leading up to the race. They could experience increased heart rate, butterflies in the stomach, increased sweat production, the need to visit the restroom numerous times, and even goosebumps. Although this might be uncomfortable to experience, athletes have the opportunity to work with their mind-body connection and can opt to reframe what they are experiencing. The body’s response to anxiety is actually the same response when feeling excited! So, instead of the athlete experiencing these physiological responses and thinking they are too nervous to perform, they could reframe it into telling themself that they are excited and ready for the race.

Every athlete experiences pre-race anxiety but how they overcome it may not be the same. By focusing on what they can control, using mental strategies like breathwork, accessing control, and implementing mantras, athletes can stay present in the moment. Most importantly, athletes need to remind themselves to trust in their training. They have trained and prepared for this day. Enjoy it, and keep pushing forward!

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