As summer winds down and fall looms closer, the first cross country race is almost upon us. Many runners are filled with a sense of excitement, nervousness, or a likely mixture of both as they toe the line for their season opener.
My high school career was mostly ruled by fear. The night before and the morning of a race, I was terribly nervous. An average of five port-o-potty visits later, time seemed to stand still as everyone silently hovered over the start line, waiting for the gun to fire, and my mind would fill with anxiety, doubt, and dread. No matter the outcome of my race, whether it be disappointment, satisfaction, or something in between, the same cycle would repeat, week after week, meet
after meet. Perhaps you can relate.
After a tough season in my freshman year of college, I had to reevaluate my mental approach to racing. After spending weeks unable to run and dropping out of three collegiate races, I had nowhere to go but up: I had hit rock bottom. What else did I have to lose? I started embracing a race as a chance to see what I could do; an opportunity to test my hard work, talent, and mental and physical toughness. When my mindset shifted and I felt excited, confident, and pumped to get on the starting line, something amazing happened: I ran faster. The body often believes what the mind tells it. If you believe a cross country race is something to dread and fear, that’s exactly what will happen. If you step on that line with some courage and confidence (and the training to back it up), it can completely transform your racing approach. Is it going to be uncomfortable? Of course. It will take some guts. Does that mean you’ll win every race? No. Will you always run a PR? That’s probably not realistic, either. But what I can guarantee is you will feel much happier and more satisfied out there on the hills and trails, and you won’t have to look back with regrets one day, wondering, “What if…?”
I wish I had known earlier that running in fear robs you of the exhilaration of racing. What your body, heart, and mind are capable of is so much more than you might ever attempt or realize. There are many people who wish they could do what you can, who dream of the talent and ability you have. This stage of your life is short and fleeting; you WILL one day be older and slower, so seize the moment!
The starter’s gun firing still fills me with an instantaneous edginess, but now it is filtered through the excitement of watching another runner’s story unfold. It's ok to be nervous: that means you care. Just don’t let nervousness become the force that overshadows your confidence and steals your joy. Don't be afraid of a challenge: get out there and see what you’re made of. Keep learning, working, and believing. As the late, great Steve Prefontaine said, “A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts…”
Be brave. You've got this.
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