About racing
Right, so I have had time to organise my thoughts on racing. What it means to me, my own journey from dreading it to loving it and some of, what I would consider, key concepts.
I love racing. And it’s perhaps for this very reason that I do not race too often. But before going into why that is the case I want to share my definition of what it is to race.
Racing for me is not about putting on a number and sharing the road with a bunch of other runners. Racing for me is more about a being prepared to take myself to the limits. Not always physical limits. In fact the main aspect, for me, when racing is the mental approach. Of course we need to be physically ready and fit to take it on but more often than not when we under perform, and most of us do, it’s the mental aspect that is the limiting factor to reach our own potential.
Also, racing is not necessarily always linked to mental suffering in terms of pushing when all the signals are telling you to slow down. It’s the full mental package.
Getting yourself mentally ready and making sure you understand the course, the strategy, your current fitness, your race target, your race attire.
Getting yourself mentally race ready means managing your own emotions. It’s ok to feel excited and a little nervous but we must ensure any anxiety is transformed into excitement and desire.
When I started racing just over 10 years ago I recall having serious issues before a race. I would feel way too anxious and nervous to the point of experiencing some kind of fear. I would rather be elsewhere. When I think back I suspect those feelings were more about the fear of failing, whatever that meant. The fear of coming last, of being scrutinised or judged by others, fear of not being able to pace myself well and giving up. All fears really pointing outwards. I didn’t know myself very well and it showed. I lacked confidence.
After a few races I started feeling a lot more confident about the elements I could control such as pacing, my emotions, familiarisation with the course to eliminate surprises, etc. The more I knew what I could do and what my pace could be the more I focused on myself and getting as close to my own performance as possible. All those external influences and pressures started dissipating.
The feelings started resembling those of a hard session. No external pressure, only some nerves which would transform into an adrenaline surge at the start of the session or race.
To date I still use the same techniques. Visualising the race. What my pace will be, how I will feel, increasing pace as the race goes on, etc. I also visualise myself finishing strong, with a final kick. Enjoying myself. Enjoying that pain of pushing to the limit trusting it’s going to be fine.
I also use breathing techniques to slow my heart rate. Deep breaths. Close my eyes, I can hear myself think. I relax.
An then, be positive. Be happy to have a chance to race. I’m not injured, I’m fit enough to race. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy myself.
As for other pre-race preparations, I find I like routine. Knowing what I will wear, how will I get to the start, my warm up, my pre-race fueling and hydration strategy. When it’s an important race to me I try to leave nothing to chance. It’s a different matter if the race is a short one or not my A race. Then I don’t mind relaxing a bit more and letting some of the smaller details go. I get to enjoy what’s around me a bit more that way and I don’t feel it impacts my performance.
I’ve come to think that the actual race itself needs to be managed using head, heart and legs. The head is key in having prepared the race strategy in advanced and making sure I stick to it.
The shorter the race the more room for improvising and making decisions on the go as time is the big variable here and a small window may be all I have to make that quick decision to deviate and adapt to new scenarios. It’s not the same running for 16 minutes than for 3 hours. The decisions I’m referring to are things like changing pace slightly as I feel I can sustain a slightly higher effort or deciding to stay with a group or not depending on how I feel that may impact my performance on the day.
However, the less I have to think about the better. I want to stick to my race plan and use as least energy as possible thinking about too many variables when I should be focusing on inner feelings like pace, hurt levels, etc.
I really can’t remember who said the following quote but I have learned the hard way it’s true during the first hour of a marathon:
If you don’t think you’re going too slow it means you’re going too fast.
That is not a quote about pace but about strategy, about sticking to the plan. I must have the discipline to stay with the race plan. However easy the pace might feel or when I think I don’t need a drink early on because I feel ok. Discipline is paramount. This is where the head plays a big part. It’s not always about a gutsy performance but a smart one.
The “legs” part of the equation refers to making sure that I understand my fitness level and my current form as well as looking after my running form and technique during the race. I can’t think I will do similar times for similar distances regardless of the time of the year, course, conditions, levels of freshness, how much sleep have I had the nights before the race, stress levels, etc.
It also means knowing what kind of physical pain to expect. I’m ok to feel niggly during a race. It will hurt. I just need to recognise and distinguish racing pain from potential injury.
And the final piece of the puzzle, the “heart”. This clearly refers to running with purpose. Being happy to give it our all. Knowing that it will hurt still wanting it and having the right desire. Part of this is the motivational part I referenced in my last blog entry. How bad do you want it. There is certainly a lot of work that can be done on this front to improve. We train our mind like we train our body.
The post race approach is also important. Perhaps not top of my priority list when it comes to things to worry about on race day. But it’s important nonetheless.
Mostly to refuel right away and replenish when our body is empty and most receptive to the right nutrients. I wont go into what I would think suitable to drink and eat as that’s not my intention here but I will say this… I don’t buy into the need for going expensive here. At some point I will probably write about all the running related products we, as runners, are being told we need to consume which I firmly believe we don’t need.
My recovery drink of choice, out of pure simplicity, is watered down orange juice. There are several other things I do to ensure the fastest possible recovery but I won’t go into them at this point.
In my post race routine, however, I also want to go through a mini mental review of my performance. Did it go like I expected? Did I manage the conditions well? Did I give it my best? If not, why not?
I think it’s crucial to be honest with myself on the reasons a race went the way it did. Not looking for excuses or justification, but for an explanation. Looking always to learn from the experience and make the necessary adjustments for next time.
Anecdotally, I was in Barcelona for personal reasons over the weekend. It’s my home town but that does not mean I know how things work when it comes to running or racing. I had registered for this 5000 on the Sunday with a couple of my local friends. The organisers sent me an email confirming my participation but didn’t really explain the logistics of the day.
I didn’t know if there’d be a place to leave a bag since I wanted to run there and back and change shoes and top. I also didn’t know if there’d be starting pens for different levels or even where I had to collect the race number that same morning since I couldn’t pick it up the day before.
I messaged my friends several times the night before and they gave me some basic information bu it wasn’t until I got there that I started to relax about it. I had no intention of treating it like a make or break type of race but I still wanted to ensure my experience was a good one and that I enjoyed it, which was the main point in me entering it in the first place.
I could have easily had the experience ruined due to anxiety and nerves but in the end once I had resolved the few logistical issues I was able to relax and enjoy the race.
I knew what I could do. It was only logical (paraphrasing good old Spock) that given normal conditions on the day, and a flat ish course, I could finish in a specific time. And I did. The certainty of my fitness level with the assurance of my training and experience allowed me to remove all distractions and focus on the job at hand.
It was quite odd and a little confusing seeing so many runners treating the 5000 like an ultramarathon in terms of what they were wearing. So different to what you’d find in the UK. Compression socks, chip on each shoe (not kidding), buff and visor, sunglasses, belts,… you name it! I’m more used to shoes, socks, shorts, vest and watch.
In the end everything went ok and I was able to claim 4th place but more importantly I was able to manage the race well and enjoy myself.
All of the points I’ve made about racing go back to explaining why I don’t race too often. I take part in races but I don’t compete in all of them. I don’t enter every race focusing 100% on each element. I may be giving my “leg” best but I have not prepared well or I’m not mentally willing to make certain sacrifices. And that’s ok, I’m fine with that.
Since my preferred distance is the marathon, everything I do throughout the year is geared to get me to the start line of race day with all my chances intact and at my possible best in terms of fitness levels. That is the one day of the year I do target and where I aim to be at my best in all my three race components.
Happy racing!
