Pre-Race Nerves: Self Talk
This is the second installment in my series on Pre-Race Nerves.
In this series I outline the strategies that helped me navigate anxiety, extreme nervousness and dread leading up to races to compete successfully at the highest level. Read part I.
I used to think I was just slow off the start.
When the starting gun goes off, all the runners explode off the start line and somehow I always ended up in the back of the pack. (This is less important in longer races, but in the 1500m or mile, the start matters.)
Ideally, my goal was to win races so starting out in the very back was not the plan, but it became my plan because I was resigned to it.
I would say things like “Somehow I always start out in the back.”
“I’m terrible off the line.”
“I’m not good at getting out.”
I thought I was just stating facts, accepting that I was bad getting off the line, and recognizing that I’d have to move through the pack during the race. But midway through my pro career I started working with a sports psychologist. She taught me to stop talking about myself and thinking about myself in that way. Up to that point I hadn’t recognized the negativity in the way I described myself.
My sports psych was really direct (100% my style) when she said “Nicole you’re an adult, you’re capable of getting a better start, just go do it.”
The first step was to reframe my thoughts and words about myself. From that point forward I never spoke about “being bad at starting” ever again. EVER. It took longer to stop thinking that way but I never reinforced negative thoughts by speaking them aloud. Instead I adopted a new perspective:
“I’m working hard to improve my start.”
My sport psych taught me to bring a very narrow focus to the start line of races. You might remember from Part I the first step of my race plan was to “Explode off the line.” It was a decision made in advance.
On the start line while waiting for the official’s command and pistol, I put all my focus on one word: EXPLODE.
Out Front
In Rio I wanted to lead my heat and make the pace fast to give myself a better chance of qualifying to the semi-final. So I did.
(Photo from zimbio.com, click image to visit)
And I got out in front.
Of course it’s a little more nuanced than that. A few other runners still had the first couple steps ahead of me, but I would keep exploding, keep the gas pedal floored until I got up to the front (or near to the front, wherever I wanted to be).
Every single race plan after that started with EXPLODE and over time, race after race, I was able to position myself where I wanted to be, not “where I ended up.” There were still some starts that weren’t great, but eventually the start became an area of specific confidence for me — no longer an aspect I was working to improve — but one of my strengths.
How Can You Reframe?
As a coach there are some phrases I hear again and again from clients and student-athletes:
“I’m not tough.”
“I keep getting passed at the end of races,”
“I fade at the end."
“I always seem to hit the wall.”
“I’m just not fast.”
Sound familiar? It might be time to reframe the way you think and speak about yourself. Whether or not these statements have been true in the past is not relevant. You can move to a more positive perspective that is also true. Here are some alternatives:
“I’m getting tougher.”
“I’m going to pass at least 1 person at the end of my next race.”
“In training I always finish strong so I know I can do that in my next race.”
“I will be disciplined and conservative at the start so I can finish well. I am learning to measure my effort.”
“I am getting faster.”
When you start feeling nervous before your next race, take a minute to listen to your own thoughts. What are you thinking about yourself? Are you focused on weaknesses or past errors? How do you speak about yourself to others? Self-awareness is the first step to making a change in this area.
“I had a terrible last lap”
I recently asked a young woman how her race in the mile had gone. She said “I had a terrible final lap.” And I asker her, “What about the first 7 laps? How did those laps go?” She had done very well for 7/8 laps!
By focusing on that 8th lap, thinking and speaking aloud “I had a terrible final lap” she would likely struggle with the possibility of that same outcome before her next race, leading to more pre-race anxiety.
Everyone has room for improvement and we are generally pretty good at recognizing our weaknesses or failures (I refer to these as “areas of potential”). There’s no need to deny them or pretend everything is excellent already. But we must be careful in the way we define ourselves.
As a runner I learned to think about my strengths, successes, and all the ways I was currently improving. I would speak them aloud to reinforce them in my mind. Now I’m a coach and I aim to ask questions specifically that lead people to speak positively about themselves and their performances.
Self-talk is an example of intentional thinking. Intentional thinking simply means we don’t have to passively listen to our thoughts. We can choose what we think about, how we think and what we say. There are so many more ways we can be intentional about our thoughts beyond how we define ourselves, so stay tuned!
More Strategies Coming Up!
I have a lot more strategies to manage pre-race nerves that involve intentional thinking, breathing, and changing your mood on purpose. Stay tuned!
Need help reframing your Self-Talk?
Nicole Sifuentes is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. Read more about her services, and schedule your free consultation today!