How to Deal With Race Anxiety
Updated 4/17/2025
It’s pretty common to feel nervous as race day approaches. In my experience, nerves come from uncertainty. We train hard for a long time and have hopes and goals. We’ve become invested and want our efforts to pay off, but we have no guarantees.
But there’s another reason for nerves…
The pain.
I’m not talking about injury pain, but rather pain due to exertion. The discomfort that comes from digging deep and keeping the pressure on even when we are so tired and want to slow down. The pain of pushing to the limit. A full race effort is HARD.
Choosing Our Focus
The fear of a bad outcome, of disappointment, of pain, these are all legitimate concerns. But that doesn’t mean we have to dwell on them! It’s easy to focus on what might go wrong, the unknowns, the “what ifs” and the pain ahead but it takes intentionality to focus on what could go right.
It’s true that we could be disappointed by a race, and that there are no guarantees, but it’s also true that when a runner is prepared and fit, it’s much more likely that things will go well.
As an athlete, I used to get very nervous for races. Thoughts of an upcoming race would come with a wave of anxiety and dread. I was afraid of failure or disappointment. I worried that the outcome of the race would not meet my expectations. I had to stop thinking “what if I run badly?” to “what if I run great?”
Learning to ask a positive “what if” question helped me eliminate DREAD from my pre-race nerves.
Accepting the Nerves
While I don’t think runners should dread their races, it is completely normal to have nerves. Even after I stopped dreading my races, the knowledge that I would be pushing to my limits made me nervous. Races are our chance to push to the max and that is tough but it isn’t a negative outcome! In fact, it is what we want. No one really likes crossing the finish line feeling like they could have, should have run faster. It’s a good feeling to leave it all out there on race day.
© Sifuentes Coaching 2022
Examples of Thinking Productively
Instead of thinking about what could go wrong, imagine all the things that could go right.
Instead of worrying that you’ll repeat a past mistake, remember all the times you ran well.
Instead of stressing that you might not get the outcome you want, promise yourself to empty the tank no matter what.
Rather than fearing the pain and discomfort, remind yourself that digging deep is part of the plan, and that you can run well even if you’re not comfortable.
And remind yourself of the energy and excitement of race day! It’s going to be fun!
Read More about Intentional Thinking:
Pre-Race Nerves: Your Race Plan
Training Your Mind: Mental Strategies from an Olympic Runner
Crush Your Virtual Race (Part I: Mindset)
In The Zone: Become a better runner by improving your focus (Part I)
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.