You’ve been training and are now signed up to race…WOO-HOO!! Wait…now what?

Race day anxiety creeps up on us all. Am I prepared enough? Did I taper properly? Do I have all the proper gear? Am I really ready?

Below are THREE tips we find helpful with newer athletes and first timers – they are never a bad idea to think about as a seasoned athlete though 😉

STICK TO YOUR PLAN – Deviation, trying new things, missing or skipping a planned session (whether it’s a challenging training day or a rest day) or having a wild nutrition change should be avoided – especially two weeks or less from race day. You’ve prepped, made notes and have a goal – stick to the plan!

NOTHING NEW – Seriously…this parallels with the above tip. Don’t try new gear the week of a race. Don’t eat new foods. Don’t break in new shoes. Don’t try a new workout routine at the gym. Stick to what’s working leading into a race. ESPECIALLY don’t try anything new during race weekend!

VISUALIZE YOUR RACE WEEKEND – Take some quiet time and walk through your race weekend leading to the race start. Then, visualize your race day as if you were right there doing it. How is your mood? Are you nervous? Excited? Hungry? Go through your emotions and have a plan B mapped out if you do get a flat tire on the bike or you do take a misstep on the run.