Ask any athlete, whether they’ve been doing the sport their whole lives or are just starting, and they will all have the same answer: pre-race jitters are normal. Olympians, record holders, grand slam champions, and beginner athletes who are just about to start their first race all experience this feeling.
Merriam-Webster defines jitters as a “sense of panic or extreme nervousness,” while the Cambridge Dictionary describes it as “a feeling of nervousness that you experience before something important happens.” While all of these and many more fit the jitter puzzle (including what Vocabulary says is a really anxious, jumpy, fidgety, and nervous feeling), this feeling is what makes us human: a sense of restlessness that we sometimes cannot avoid, especially when we’re about to do something that we’ve prepared for a long time or otherwise.
From a runner’s perspective, pre-race jitters or nervousness in general are often caused by several factors:
- Performance anxiety—worrying about how well you’ll perform, especially when it’s a big race or after you’ve seen a potential rival;
- Personal pressure—the feeling of exceeding expectations of others or setting a new personal record;
- Uncertainty—concerns about the unknown, such as the weather, route, and how your body will adapt when the race starts;
- Overthinking—overanalyzing your strategy and forcing yourself to stick with your training plan;
- Lack of preparation—the fact that you know that you haven’t trained enough for a race but still managed to show up on race day will instantly turn on pre-race jitters symptoms like uneasiness, an increase in heart rate, or that dreadful feeling that you want to go to the bathroom.
Despite this being normal, pre-race jitters can greatly affect your performance if you cannot handle the pressure. Managing these feelings will ensure that you can start strong, finish stronger, and maintain a positive mindset throughout the race.
- Accept the pressure—tell yourself that pre-race anxiety is totally normal and that even Michael Jordan, Manny Pacquiao, and Michael Phelps get nervous during D-Day. It is a sign that your body is getting ready; the adrenaline rushing through your veins will push you to your limits and will center on your training. Trust the process, as they say, and pre-race jitters are part of it.
- Focus on your training—be confident you’ve trained long and hard for this race. May it be a short 5K or an ultramarathon, the days and months leading to race day will remind you of your hard work, dedication, and sacrifices.
- Rest—Get enough sleep and take a breather before the big day. This will keep your mind and body at ease and steer your attention away from the pressure of competing.
- Develop a pre-race routine—This can be anything from doing a light jog, warming up, or listening to your favorite playlist while at the same time preparing for the gun start. Runners also have this ritual of laying down their gear the night before the race. This gives them a sense of calm and shakes off any excess feelings and sticks with a positive mental attitude.
- Manage your expectations—it will not come easy for some, but setting realistic goals lessens the pressure. Suck in the feeling of going into the unknown where things might not go your way. Visualize the race course, motivate yourself, and just do your best. Whether you’ve beaten your previous PR or came in a fraction of a second short, remember that you can always try again.
