Keys for a Successful Race Day

The morning of a race is always a rollercoaster of feelings and emotions: Nervousness, uncertainty, excitement, self-doubt, hope, and even sadness that the thing you’ve poured so much time, energy, and resources into will be over soon.

I’m feeling all this as I wait for Rasputitsa to kick off in a couple of hours. Here are some things that I’ve found helpful over the years to stay grounded and calm before a race:

1. Trust your training - Even if it wasn’t perfect, know that you did everything in your power to be prepared and put yourself in the best position to be successful on that day. Have faith that it is enough. It’s gotten you here, and will see you through to the end.

2. Have realistic expectations - Whether conscious or not, you are always setting goals and you gauge your success based on how you did relative to the goals and expectations you have. Make sure your expectations for the day are grounded in reality and that “success” is not entirely dependent on factors out of your control (i.e., the outcome, which only tells one small part of the story).

3. Stay within yourself - Keep your focus in the moment and on the things in your control and conducive to success. Ride your race, stay within your abilities, and don’t get carried away by what everyone else is doing.

4. Be grateful for the experience - Not everyone is able to be where you are and do what you’re doing. Be grateful you are physically capable and healthy enough to train and for the opportunity to test your mind and body in this way.

I’ll end with a quote from the good folks at Rasputitsa:

When the curtain lifts, and then start gun sounds, and everything you’ve been working for turns into 1 million little details, send it. Pedal with every amount of love that consumes you. We promise you it’s never failed us.