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Thoughts in the head of a runner can be all sorts of crazy the week leading up to a race. It becomes obsessive, focused, anxious, excited, and everything in between (or wait- is that just me?) For those of you who aren’t a runner and want to know what the crazy is like the week leading up to a race (or if you’re a runner and are wondering if you’re normal), I thought I’d share some of the crazy obsessiveness that has bounced around my head this week.
On the weather: “I should go check the weather again. Something might have changed in the last hour and I need to know what I’m dealing with here” (thought every few hours all. week.).
On clothing: “What if I don’t dress warmly enough and I’m freezing and can’t keep running? What if I overheat but can’t take clothes off? How will I know what I need until I’m part way through the run… and then it’s too late?!” (this goes back to my post on “Now and Then”)
On music: “Playlist… songs…what will I need while I’m out on the course? Should I choose peppy, inspirational, or moving songs? Should I listen to a podcast like I do on my training runs?”
On clothing: “If I wear running tights I don’t have any pockets and can’t carry food and kleenex with me. If I wear a running skirt I can carry food and kleenex but I might get cold. What to do, what to do…”
On shoes: “I think my shoes are shot and that’s causing some of my IT band pain. I need new shoes but there’s only a week before the race. Do I risk running in new shoes with only 15 miles on them in hopes that my IT band won’t act up as much? WHAT’S THE BEST CHOICE TO MAKE?”
On pre-race clothing: “What do I wear while I’m warming up and waiting to start the race? I think I need to go out and get a throw away outfit. When can I fit this into my schedule?”
On fluid intake: (every day, every hour) “Am I drinking enough? I really need to make sure I’m really well hydrated before the night before the race so that I can be as prepared as possible. Should I drink more? Am I drinking enough?”
On feeling sore: “I think I overdid my workout on Tuesday. It’s Thursday night and I’m still feeling really stiff and sore. Taper is supposed to leave you refreshed and your legs ready to go. Instead I feel sore, achy, and like I don’t want to move at all right now. Will the soreness go away before the race?”
On my IT Band pain: “My IT band is still acting up and doesn’t feel great. I’m not sure how there’s anyway that I can go 13 miles with it being the way it is right now. This is impossible. This isn’t impossible. I can’t do this. I can definitely do this. I’m strong and trained well. Training doesn’t matter with IT band pain. I can do it- I know I can do it. There’s no sense worrying because I won’t know how it will go until I’m on the race course.”
On having to drop out of the race: “What if I have to drop out of the race part way through because of my IT band? Will people in my life judge me or think I’m weak because I couldn’t finish 13 miles? How disappointed will I be in myself? Does it really mean anything about me if I can’t finish? It doesn’t define me or mean anything negative about me if I can’t. Sometimes our bodies just can’t give what we want them to give in the moment. It will be ok if I can’t finish the race…”
On getting a sore throat: “Oh no- am I getting sick? What happens if Saturday morning comes and I have a bad cold? How will my running be changed if I have a bad cold and have a hard time breathing. Agh- go away running nose and sore throat. PLEASE.”
Thoughts get crazy. Seriously. And unchecked they can easily snowball out of control into a negative and distorted set of thinking patterns. Yes, I’ve had some crazy thoughts this week and have said too many “what ifs” and “shoulds” to myself. However, I try to bring myself back to a positive and rational place, and force myself not to check the weather ever single hour of the day because that’s just a crazy thing to do. Runners are passionate, and with that passion comes a little bit of crazy sometimes. Have you ever heard of the taper crazies? Yeah- they’re real, but they also don’t have to completely rule your thought process either.
So, if you saw me the week before the race, I would be at work happily working away, talking to clients and my co-workers. I would have no problem getting everything done during the day. However, behind the smile are all the crazy thoughts that go on. I just don’t always say them out loud because, well…. that would just be too much. Besides, behind the questions and obsessiveness is a whole lot of excitement and building energy for race morning. Saturday morning I toe the line of my 2nd half marathon. I will fight hard for a finish. I anticipate some IT band along the way, and I’ve done my best to prepare mentally for this. But I. WILL. DO. MY. BEST. And that’s what I can do. And I’m thankful I have the chance to run.
Now it’s your turn to share! If you are a runner, what do you think about or obsessively do the week before a race? How do you deal with taper crazies?
*This week I’ve continued to put everything in perspective because of the devastation of Sandy. My prayers continue to go out to those who are affected by the storm. I hope the NYC marathon will help to lift the spirits of those in the city.
Yes, it’s so easy to get carried away by my mental craziness!!! Sometimes I over analyze everything the night before a race, and I just have to stop and say, “HOLD IT! This is all just for fun! Everyone I know is cheering for me to do well, not poorly, and no matter what discomfort I feel or obstacles I face during the race, I’m not going to die or anything like that:)” I try to remember that NOTHIng is that big of a deal, and it always helps me out!
It’s so important to remember that we’re doing this for fun. My mom loves to remind me “Remember, no one made you do this.” Good to keep things in perspective:)
Got to love taper maddness! Deep breath and try to relax, you have done what you can and can’t change it now. Good luck 🙂
You’re absolutely right. I’ve done what I’ve done and I can’t change anything now, so worrying won’t help. Thanks for the encouragement!
Oh my gosh, this sounds stressful!! I am prepping for a 10k with minimal training and I feel some of the same thoughts, but now it’s even worse that I’ve read this! 😉 ahh!!
Interesting about the podcasts though.. what do you listen to?
I’ve found that it’s not about what thoughts I have initially, but how I choose to deal with the thoughts or redirect them that’s important! I tend to listen to the NYRR podcast or jillian michael’s weekly podcast. Sometimes I listening to a mental health podcast since I’m a counselor as well. There’s lots of free podcast on itunes, and you can search by category which makes it much easier!
I’ll have to try that; I’m going to be running more than 3 miles for the first time this weekend and have no idea how to keep my mind occupied!
Definitely try the podcast. They’re great and if you space out you can always rewind and listen again. Good luck on your run! It’s always great to hit a new distance:)
I had the same thoughts about my shoes, but I’m so glad I bought new ones. Congratulations, again!
I always worry about potty needs …will I have tummy troubles and mess myself? Lol excellent list of thoughts. I believe I’ve thought all of these except the IT band issue.
Yup- bathrooms are a big issue, and there never seems to be enough on the race course!
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