Turn pre-race fear into fire with these tips

You trained. You tapered. You checked the weather forecast obsessively. And yet, you’re now a bundle of nerves in a porta-potty line, wondering why you paid money to suffer. Good news: those nerves? Totally normal. Better news: you can turn them into fuel for your fastest race yet. Here’s how, with a few smart tips the pros actually follow—and the all-too-relatable mistakes made by the rest of us. (Case in point: me. Learn from my mishaps. Please.)

Stick to your dang routine

Race day is not the time to discover a new breakfast food, break in sparkly new shoes or create a chaotic experimental playlist. Familiarity calms the brain. It’s science—or at least something your future self will thank you for.

Even though we know this, we still mess it up. I once thought a lentil burger at a cool new vegetarian restaurant the night before a BQ attempt in Edmonton was a great idea. Spoiler: it was not. The only thing that ran fast the next day was my stomach. So consider this your loving reminder: if it ain’t broke, don’t race-day fix it.

Control the controllable (and maybe Google the start line location)

Lay your stuff out the night before. Know where you’re going. Have your warm-up and fuelling plan ready like it’s a NASA launch. These are the small things that prevent your brain from spiralling. I once assumed I knew my way to a race start because “I know this city!” (Reader, I did not live in that city.) I took a wrong turn and arrived frazzled and sweaty before even crossing the start line. Don’t be like me. Prep the logistics—your future self will thank you.

Reframe the nerves: it’s not fear, it’s fire

That butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling? It’s not doom. It’s your body getting hyped to do something awesome. You’re not scared—you’re ready. Personally, I remind myself how much I love this ridiculous sport, whether I’m toeing the line at a road half-marathon or getting ready to hit the dirt for 100 glorious trail kilometres. That start-line buzz? Always magic. The strangers around you who totally get it? Incredible. And the post-race indulgence where you get to lie around like royalty while plotting your next ridiculous endurance feat? Iconic.

Breathe, visualize, repeat

Deep breaths. Big exhales. Picture yourself cruising smoothly, floating like a gazelle who paid $150 for a bib and likes pain. Seriously—visualizing a strong race before race day (on long runs, in the shower, while foam rolling) makes a difference. And even if things go sideways mid-race, you can still tap into your inner warrior and finish strong—ready to recover, revamp your routine and race again another day.