You’ve made it to race day.
No surprises there, you woke up 322 times to watch the blinking red dots on your clock and ensure you didn’t over sleep. Of course in the snippets of drifting off in between there were dreams of flashing red tail lights in the pre-dawn hours as you frantically screamed for them to move watching your car clock strike 7Am and knowing the race had begun without you.
Ah the joy of race day.
Of course our little neurosis doesn’t stop with our night time sleep, we drag that baggage (sans wheels thank you) all the way to the start line.
1) Why is my GPS signal so awful? I hope it picks up before the race starts. What if it doesn’t, what will I do? I can’t start it like mid-way through.2) Why are the porta pottie lines so long and didn’t I just go? I think I need to go again….better get in line.3) I don’t remember them saying it would be so ___ Cold, hot, windy, any variation of not perfect weather.{Want more funny then checkout all these hilarious runner weather stories.}
4) God that guy looks really fast, maybe I should move back. I’m not really interested in getting run over today.
5) Hmm I should totally be able to beat her…I wonder how many people I’m going to have to dodge, should I move up? I mean I really want to PR.
6) Ok remember I paid to do this, it’s supposed to be fun or at least I’m finishing because I PAID to do this. 7 ) Are we moving? Did they say something? I can’t hear…oh never mind they haven’t done anything yet.
8) Why does my shoe feel weird? Did I tie it wrong today? Did I put on enough body glide?{Seriously read this on taking care of your skin, so it’s not you!}
9) I hope I ate enough, I think I’m hungry…no I think I’m nauseous. No hungry…no….can’t we just start?!
We pay to do it, though it makes us crazy! Start line funnies #runchat Share on X10) Hope I see my family on the course. Wonder if they made signs? Are they wearing the bright shirts I told them about, what if it’s so busy I miss them?!11) Why didn’t I wear a costume? They look like their having so much fun! Or why did I wear a costume this thing itches!{Hint if you want a good running costume check out these>>}
12) And if you live in Colorado – Damn this is probably their warm up run before they head off into the mountains for the next 12 hours to run at their easy pace of 6 minutes per mile.
All kidding aside here are some tried and true tips for putting your race day nerves to work for the best possible day >>
What’s usually going through your mind on race day?
How do you stay calm and run on?
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Marcia
Haha! You nailed those Colorado people!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy
LOL! I am one of those weirdos who generally trusts her training and actually is more excited than nervous.
But Sunday it was “where the heck is the sun they promised us” and “why didn’t I take my own advice and bring throwaway gloves OMG my hands are frozen” — which basically ran through my head the next 3 miles as the sun never made an appearance during the race.
amanda
That’s amazing!!!! you should be super proud to have the hell ya I did the work frame of mind. I think I just love to run, but hate the pre-race get there, parking, waiting part!
Lacey@fairytalesandfitness
All of these have gone through my mind. I always think I need to use the porta potty after I have already gone. I try to wait until the last possible moment so I don’t have any more time to think about it…haha.
Kimberly Hatting
I am always wondering why it takes so long for people in the porta-pots? Seriously, I’m in and out in 15 seconds…
amanda
It concerns me when I go in after them… :)
MCM Mama
Ha, the GPS is always my worry. Does it even count if you don’t track it. ;)
Aimee from Run Eat Drink Podcast @runeatdrinkpod
I think: Why do I feel like I have to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes when I am in the start corral? I just went. Again?