Reducing Race Stress Before a Triathlon

No matter how hard I try, I get stressed before any race, big or small. Something about the mental challenge that lurks ahead gets me uptight, and it disallows me from enjoying the moment the way I should.

During my first few races, I spent the majority of the time leading up to them running through these mental and psychological checklists, constantly reviewing every little element. I worked endlessly to make things perfect, to avoid any conceivable pitfall. In short, I checked, double checked, and triple checked everything I could.

In the end, I was a bundle of nerves that, looking back on it, walked away with less of an experience than I would have liked.

So, like any athlete does, I reflected on what I did well and what I did poorly. And while I can always criticize a subpar swim or an inefficient run, the one ideal that always came back as disappointing was simply how stressed I allowed myself to be leading into the race.

I knew I hated the feeling, but, fortunately, I also knew that I could and had to change.

After spending some time considering how to make that pre-race stress subside, I decided to talk to a few salty triathlon veterans to see what they thought. Surprisingly, they all claimed to still have a certain level of stress, which they all agreed was needed anyhow; however, each one claimed to have a trick or two to make the anxiety a little less and the enjoyment a little more.

Therefore, the following is what I took from them and now try to use consistently in my training and in the hours leading up to a race.

1. Train like the race: Sounds obvious, but putting in real race-like scenarios makes you more mentally comfortable with what you will encounter, thus lessening the anxiety you may feel with the "unknown" part of how you will perform. Any level of simulation, from doing tough hills if you know the course you will race on has some killer climbs, to practicing a beach entry into the surf, if you feel like you have done it already, your body and mind will be more apt to accept it more soothingly come race time.

2. Patterns: People in general appreciate routine. Establishing one that you can do almost mindlessly will allow you to prepare without thinking too much. Have a simple checklist you defer to. Don't have multiple ones like I once did. Keep it simple and patterned.

3. Focus on what you do well: Triathlon, especially for newer athletes, is overwhelming, and it almost forces a person to think about all that can go wrong. We almost innately obsess over the flaws in our game. Don't do that. Review all you do well and take comfort in your strengths. This is what will pull you through the tough moments later on during the race.

4. Arrive early: Give yourself extra time to get prepared on race morning. Rushing in creates a sense of anxiety that is tough to shed by the time your swim wave hits the water. A good warm-up that allows you to get the blood flowing and the mind in a place where it can feel good about the coming challenge is what you need.

5. See yourself: It's so easy to look at the other athletes around you and feel intimidated. Whether you are at a hotel with other competitors or you are jumping out of your car at a local race, inevitably there will be people that look like they just fell off the pro circuit, complete with six thousand dollar bikes and every conceivable extra a person can buy. Forget them. You're not racing them. Triathlon, and remember this, is really about pushing yourself and doing the best with what you came with to the race. With that in mind, have blinders on when it comes to what everyone else has. You have plenty.

In the end, know that the race is fun and that it can and will give you a true high. Give these tips a try, plug in a few of your own along the way, and enjoy each race to its fullest possibility.