WEEK 18

Noticing and processing nerves. "Fear is gradually replaced by excitement and a simple desire to see what you can do on the day." - Lauren Fleshman Pre-event nerves are uncomfortable, and for most of us they are unavoidable, but it’s important to remember why they are there… you are nervous because you care! You have sacrificed a lot to get to this start line, you have worked really hard and have set a goal that you want to achieve, it’s totally appropriate to be a little nervous. So the first thing we want you to do creep in, is just acknowledge them and why they are there and remember, when managed well, some nerves can actually be a great tool for helping you perform. A wonderful resource to watch right now is a TED talk by Kelly McGonigal ‘Harnessing the power of stress’. This talk explains why nerves don’t have to be a bad thing. Once we can embrace them a little, it allows us to move away from fear and the negative effects of nerves such as elevated HR (means using carbs sooner in race), wasted energy at start line, disrupted sleep, mental fatigue before race begins and GI distress. Check out this weeks email to find some strategies to help you get your stress and nerves working for you not against you.