22 Replies to “Racing Nerves: Thrilling, Addictive, Anxiety-provoking, and Potentially One of Your Greatest Assets”
I’m definitely not a fan of that ‘lead leg’ feeling. At all! But I do like the research showing that we perform best (in anything really, not just sport) when we’re moderately anxious 🙂 Too much is a bit too much, but too little and as you say – we have no motivation to do anything! It’s a useful thing to be reminded of, thanks 🙂
i’ve let nerves get the best and worst of me, they’re are a tough thing to control. for me they seem to stir up a lot of emotion about my training and the path that lead me to that line, which isn’t always a good thing. funny you wrote this because yesterday i was actually just craving that feeling of anxiousness before the gun goes off where there is a pit in my stomach and my heart is racing. ready to chase that feeling down right now!
i LOVE it…the fire is lit baby!! i totally kno EXACTLY wat u’re talking about, and the funny/crazy thing is even when i’m just watching a distance track race and i hear the gun goes off, there is that little ping in my heart. 🙂
I used to get the WORST nerves before swim races. My fingers would feel funny and I would bite on my cheeks. Running isn’t so bad for me — I have more fun with it than my competitive swim days! But I get butterflies in my stomach, still!
I love the nerves to a degree, they are just part of what makes it an important event. Sometimes it gets too much and impacts my sleep, my bowels, my digestion, and all of that. Overall, it just makes it all more exhilarating. The more events I do, the more comfortable I get, but my first marathons I was so so freaked out. And, I have seen more than one first time marathoners crying, literally in tears, before the event started since there is so much emotional build up.
marathons are different i think because u literally focus SO long on one event and no matter how it goes u can’t just ‘pop’ right back to re-do like u can for the shorter ones. i mean heck, race a mile, it goes bad…get over and come back a few days later, right?? 😉
oh man, i’m ALL about the lies to myself…funny i’m one heck of an honest person to the rest of the world, but i probably have no clue wat the truth is when i’m talking to myself. 😉 jk….sorta…hehe
I will say I get nerves before longer races not so much shorter distances. I was a completely different nervous right before my triathlon. I wish I could explain the way I felt but it was almost a terrible feeling. But once I got started it was ok.
I also get really nervous when I am getting ready to teach a new class or sub for someone at the gym. People at the gym can be rough to please at times.
pssshhh, u tell any gym critics to stuff it cuz u kno wat u’re doing and YOU are the teacher!! 😉 that said, i would be super nervous too for a tri that was my first time too!! i think any time we are diving into something totally new the nerves kick in extra….once we do it though next time isn’t so bad because we at least kno wat to expect! 🙂
I kind of like the nerves too – because they are a part of being excited for the race! As long as I don’t start too fast, my nerves help me to stay alert and think envision what I want to accomplish, things I think help me to race better!
oh man…when nerves make u go out way to fast it’s the kiss of death…and we’ve ALL been there!! lol. but yea, nerves…those buggers can be scary but so addicting at the same time! 😉
I’m definitely not a fan of that ‘lead leg’ feeling. At all! But I do like the research showing that we perform best (in anything really, not just sport) when we’re moderately anxious 🙂 Too much is a bit too much, but too little and as you say – we have no motivation to do anything! It’s a useful thing to be reminded of, thanks 🙂
gotta love that pressure…certainly kicks it up a degree or two, or three!! 🙂
i’ve let nerves get the best and worst of me, they’re are a tough thing to control. for me they seem to stir up a lot of emotion about my training and the path that lead me to that line, which isn’t always a good thing. funny you wrote this because yesterday i was actually just craving that feeling of anxiousness before the gun goes off where there is a pit in my stomach and my heart is racing. ready to chase that feeling down right now!
i LOVE it…the fire is lit baby!! i totally kno EXACTLY wat u’re talking about, and the funny/crazy thing is even when i’m just watching a distance track race and i hear the gun goes off, there is that little ping in my heart. 🙂
I used to get the WORST nerves before swim races. My fingers would feel funny and I would bite on my cheeks. Running isn’t so bad for me — I have more fun with it than my competitive swim days! But I get butterflies in my stomach, still!
i sort of think that the butterflies i get just before the gun are the same as when i’m just about to take a huge rollercoaster drop! 😉
I love the nerves to a degree, they are just part of what makes it an important event. Sometimes it gets too much and impacts my sleep, my bowels, my digestion, and all of that. Overall, it just makes it all more exhilarating. The more events I do, the more comfortable I get, but my first marathons I was so so freaked out. And, I have seen more than one first time marathoners crying, literally in tears, before the event started since there is so much emotional build up.
Love what you said about lying to yourselves.
marathons are different i think because u literally focus SO long on one event and no matter how it goes u can’t just ‘pop’ right back to re-do like u can for the shorter ones. i mean heck, race a mile, it goes bad…get over and come back a few days later, right?? 😉
oh man, i’m ALL about the lies to myself…funny i’m one heck of an honest person to the rest of the world, but i probably have no clue wat the truth is when i’m talking to myself. 😉 jk….sorta…hehe
I will say I get nerves before longer races not so much shorter distances. I was a completely different nervous right before my triathlon. I wish I could explain the way I felt but it was almost a terrible feeling. But once I got started it was ok.
I also get really nervous when I am getting ready to teach a new class or sub for someone at the gym. People at the gym can be rough to please at times.
pssshhh, u tell any gym critics to stuff it cuz u kno wat u’re doing and YOU are the teacher!! 😉 that said, i would be super nervous too for a tri that was my first time too!! i think any time we are diving into something totally new the nerves kick in extra….once we do it though next time isn’t so bad because we at least kno wat to expect! 🙂
I kind of like the nerves too – because they are a part of being excited for the race! As long as I don’t start too fast, my nerves help me to stay alert and think envision what I want to accomplish, things I think help me to race better!
oh man…when nerves make u go out way to fast it’s the kiss of death…and we’ve ALL been there!! lol. but yea, nerves…those buggers can be scary but so addicting at the same time! 😉
Pingback: I’m All About Staying Positive…But Sometimes to Get That Smile You Need to Bust Out the Sarcasm! |
Pingback: This Running Addiction of Mine: When the term addict is meant to be used as a positive |
Pingback: 5 Ways to Make Sure Your Race Doesn’t Suck |
Pingback: Running Can Be Scary As He**, Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back |
Pingback: Runner Time: The difference a single day makes |
Pingback: Runners, Superheros, and Princesses Re-defined |
Pingback: Running Mentally Engaged: Keeping your brain in check when the pain sets in |
Pingback: A Distance Runner Finding Sanity in Motion |
Pingback: Runner’s Strip Cartoon Movie Shorts: Hill Repeats |
Pingback: This Is Your Runner Brain on Stress: The hormonal reason to all those pre-race nerves |