Squashing My Race Week Nerves

Managing stress and eliminating self-doubt will help me race fast

Sep 11, 2020

Race week is upon me! I’m heading down to Vineland, NJ for the Run the AVE 5k this Sunday.

It’s been 11 weeks since I last ran a race or time trial. In that last attempt, I ran a 4:50* mile, and since then, I took 10+ days off to recover, then started building my momentum for the fall.

During the 9 weeks I’ve been back, I averaged 5 or 6 runs per week and have consistently felt better each week. I’ve added in workouts [tempo runs, some speed work, and lots of hills] and have gotten my long run up to 10 miles.

I really do not know what this weekend will look like or feel like from a pandemic standpoint, but I am really excited to see how all the running I’ve done pays off.

This much is true: I’m a much better racer than I am a trainer. I just race well even if I’m not in great shape, but now that I’m in good shape, this weekend should be a very promising start of fall racing for me.

Are you racing soon? Virtual or in-person? What is your comfort level with in-person racing? Are you going to be racing later this fall? ⤵️

Friday’s Action Plan:

Want to run fast? Spend time running fast during training. The first way to add speed is through striders. You can do striders after runs or before workouts.

Big Events Coming Up:

Run the Ave 5k - this Sunday

Good Day for a Run - this weekend

TrainwithMarc virtual 1-hour race - details TBD

What’s Got My Attention:

Article: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Using Your Local Track

Article: A College Runner Spends the Night in a Tree to Escape a Bear

Popular Newsletter Sessions:

Time Trial - April 2020

Making the Time - September 2019

Quote of the Day:

“It's not about having time. It's about making time.”

List of the Week:

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Thanks for following along on the journey! Have something you’d like to add? Have suggestions or comments? Email me: TrainwithMarc@gmail.com

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Marc is a middle school teacher and coach but also works with distance runners online. I help distance runners around the globe by providing support, writing customized training plans, and designing workouts to help them reach their racing goals. I write for my blog every Wednesday morning and newsletter every Friday morning.

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