As a runner, you understand that race day will be extremely nerve-wracking. Some days, you spend your time wracking your mind to ensure you observe the precise similar steps you took final time you had a superb race –proper right down to carrying the identical (unwashed) “fortunate” socks. If one thing doesn’t go to plan, or your baggage goes lacking, this superstition now turns into a serious impediment, fairly than a superb luck appeal. If superstitions aren’t serving to you, why allow them to management you?
Having a routine that makes you’re feeling good is essential. However with travelling, consuming at eating places, sleeping in inns, unpredictable race climate or objects forgotten from the packing record, being adaptable will be helpful and assist set you up for achievement, it doesn’t matter what.
These are a number of the most typical superstitions that I’ve seen.
- Sporting the identical race socks, regardless of large holes
- Needing very particular pre-race meals, simply since you as soon as ate it earlier than a superb race.
- At all times sticking to the identical coiffure–dutch braids right into a ponytail with a bow to match your race prime.
- Needing a selected model of (takeout) espresso. Lodge espresso, McDonald’s espresso, home-brewed espresso–they simply received’t do.
- Finishing a really particular warmup: mounted order of stretches, 5 reps of every drill and the identical hype-up tune.
Information flash: carrying clear socks, skipping the braids, or consuming a bagel with cream cheese as an alternative of a PB&J will not be going to discourage you from having a superb race.
My tip: believe that you’ve got the health and the psychological resilience to race your hardest. Don’t give the credit score for an incredible race to a pair of socks! That’s your exhausting work that bought you there. In case you really feel your self growing a superstition, why not combat it?Purposely attempt to lean away from counting on these very specific routines. If you’re unafraid to change issues up, you’ll ingrain in your thoughts that you have the flexibility to race your hardest on race day. Luck has nothing to do with it!
With all the pieces that might probably go fallacious, recondition your thoughts to interpret issues as simply going in a different way. In case you keep away from growing inflexible superstitions and as an alternative set objectives to be versatile, constructive and confident, “totally different” could have no impact in your long-awaited race.
