What are your final thoughts on the start line before the gun goes off?
Before every race, I tell myself three words:
“you are capable”
Simple words that encapsulate my approach to training and racing. It means I’m capable of having a good race, and meeting the challenge I set out for myself. Put in the consistent, oftentimes underwhelming work during training, and the race performances will follow. That is scripture to me. It’s become a core belief.
I unfortunately classify my older self as a bit of a head case. Overthinking led to panic, and panic led to underperforming. While playing high school baseball, the cutthroat nature of my team led me to overthink and consistently make on-field blunders. Worried only about performance so I could get recruited and play in college, and then I’ll get drafted and play professionally. Thinking like this, my brain could not focus on a specific task in real time. I thought too big, and suffered. In a less cutthroat environment, my year-round travel team played arguably more competitive tournaments throughout the fall and winter. I performed as I prepared– not constantly worrying about my future, or one big play relying on it. Getting thousands of reps year round, it made one play or one at bat seem insignificant, no matter the outcome. A more relaxed version of myself led to greater success.
As I improved in college on the track, bleeding into my early post-collegiate years, I felt the self-imposed gravity of every situation. Every race was poised as the big breakthrough opportunity. This is where I prove to everyone my worth. Every race was classified as a “win big” or “blow up big” scenario. In reality, as an emerging “pro,” the breakthroughs were insignificant, and the blow ups led to an even greater fractured self-image of my abilities.
As a veteran now, I have completely wiped away the idea that you need to “prove it” on race day. As long as there is belief in self, coaches, and training, good performances will follow. One day, that actually might be the big breakthrough I always sought– I train consistently well enough for that to happen. Good days stacked on top of good days over months and years is how those breakthroughs happen. It should never be expected, however. Most days, it means I’m racing exactly to the level I train at. My coaches and I are not led astray by the expectations of the outer world– standards, competitors, supporters and detractors. I’m only capable of racing to my abilities. I expect those abilities to improve every year– that is where I become competitive.
In baseball terms, I want to hit doubles off the wall. Never am I swinging for a home run, but focusing on making solid contact. If you consistently focus on hitting doubles, eventually one of them will go over the fence for a home run. You didn’t plan for it, but your willingness to train and perform to your abilities allowed you to surprise yourself.
Some runners can swing for the fences; their talent and abilities allow them to swing and miss every now and then. Similar to how I could go to a local 5k, swing for a big PB, blow up, and still win by two minutes, some pro runners can do the same at big races. It’s not my ticket for success in pro racing. I have to pick off competitors one by one. Allow everyone else to make mistakes, and only focus on how I can continue to improve cycle after cycle. A loss today does not mean a loss next year, next month, or even tomorrow.
Believe in your ability to perform your best, rather than how you can perform to others’ standards. Invest in yourself; you might be surprised what can happen on the other side.
Thanks for following along. Feel free to share with the person you thought about while reading.
Til next time,
Joey
Have definitely seen in my own racing that the least expectations going into it the better. Taking the pressure off myself to succeed has counterintuitively led to some of my most successful races. It allows me to run within myself and race smart. Thanks for the thoughts Joey!