So you’ve decided it’s time to participate in formal competitions. It’s exciting and exhilarating. It’s a chance for you to see how you measure up compare to other athletes. It’s also a chance for you to feel what’s it’s like to perform while surrounded by a crowd. Here are some competition survival tips.
Do not compare ourselves to others. It may seem counter intuitive but it’s extremely necessary. The only one you should be competing with is you. If you let others’ successes and achievements intimidate you, you will never reach your own potential because fear and insecurity will always hold you back. Strive to be the best YOU can be!
When competing in any race, your main goal should never be any different than what you’ve set it out to be prior to the race. If your goal was to make it within a particular time or a particular pace, then stick to it and ignore what everyone else is doing. During running races, most people bust out of the gate right away as soon as they hear the “Go!” sound. But honestly is it really a good idea to do that if your race is longer than a 5K? The answer is no, it’s not. You can’t sprint the whole time and if you start too fast, you’ll burn through all your glycogen storage too quickly and crash way before you intended. Dreams dashed.
Instead, focus on your goal and practice your pace religiously. Know your body and know what it feels like to run at different paces so that you wouldn’t be swayed by crazy sprinters who crash and burn within the first two miles. Don’t let that be you. Be disciplined and stick to the plan. Enjoy the race and feel the energy. Be the best you’ve practiced to be. Ok, ok, maybe be a little better but not because of others. Be better than YOU during training. And if you’ve achieved that, well then, you’re a superstar no matter who was faster or slower than you. Celebrate YOUR achievements and keep pressing on.