Make it Routine

By Richard Ferguson, Ph.D./Running Journal/March 2010
It’s one hour before the race. Where are you and what are you doing? Sitting in your car? Talking to some of your friends? Doing some light stretching? Pacing back and forth in the parking lot? You are probably very aware of where you are physically, but where are you mentally? It may seem like a strange question, but take a moment to consider how you mentally prepare yourself in the one hour leading up to the start of a race. Do you use any one set method or is your preparation different each time? Do you employ any mental preparation before a race, or do you just concern yourself with the physical aspect? Knowing that your mental state can have a big impact on your physical performance, some form of mental pre-race preparation should be combined with the physical preparation if you are to run your best.

One of the most effective ways to combine mental and physical preparation before a race is to employ what is known as a pre-event or pre-race routine. What is a pre-race routine? Basically, a pre-race routine is any consistent series of actions you go through leading up to the start of a race. The key to having a beneficial pre-race routine is to actually use the same routine before each and every race.

Many runners ask me to formulate a pre-race routine for them, but I really can’t do so. There is no one best pre-race routine and different routines fit different people. The key is to be comfortable with your routine before your race. By having a set routine before each race, you bring a degree of certainty to a very uncertain situation. In other words, if you know exactly what you are going to do before each race, you have eliminated a major source of worry and counter productive anxiety from the racing situation. By having a pre-race routine you free your mind to think about the task at hand, that being the race itself.

Many pre-race routines have their roots in superstitions and successful performances. You have a really good race and the next time out you try to recreate the situation exactly as it was when you ran that new personal record. As long as you didn’t do anything before the race that would actually hurt your performance, like wearing a rubber body suit and getting dehydrated, or drinking a quart of milk, there is nothing wrong with following the same routine you had before your best race. The key is being comfortable with your routine and having confidence in it, no matter how it compares to other runner’s routines.

While there is really no one best pre-race routine, there are some elements to include when formulating an effective routine to aid in being mentally prepared to race.

First, try to begin your pre-race routine with some specific cue that is consistent for each race. What is meant by a cue is some specific thing that sets your routine in motion before each race. I like to use time as a cue to begin a routine. You may want to begin your routine at the same point in time before each race, whether it is 50, 45, or 30 minutes. When the time cue rolls around, it’s a signal that the time has come to get focused and ready to race. Most runners will begin their routine with some light jogging when the time cue is reached. Light aerobic exercise should be done before any stretching or fast running is performed. However, the cue to begin your routine can be anything from putting on your running shoes to listening to your favorite song on your i-pod. It’s your routine, so you choose the cue.

During your warm-up run, or anytime after your starting cue, use some positive visual imagery of the race to come. See and feel what you want to happen in the race. During your pre-race routine, image running strong and having positive things happen in the race. The imagery should leave you with a positive feeling about the race to come. This positive feeling is great self-reinforcement and should be a big part of your pre-race preparation. Visualize what you want to happen in the race, not what “could” happen. Be careful to recognize and eliminate negative thoughts and images during your pre-race routine. Negative self-talk can lead to counterproductive levels of anxiety, which can drain valuable emotional energy that you will need during the race.

If you do static flexibility work (stretching) before races, the time doing so can also be used as mental training time for imagery and positive self-talk. If you stretch, make sure you have a specific routine you follow before each race. Going through your different stretching exercises can be like a fighter pilot going through a pre-flight checklist. With each stretch completed you get more ready mentally to head off to the starting line.

Your pre-race routine should also include things like attaching your race number, putting on your racing singlet, and changing into your race shoes. Again, these tasks should be done in the same manner before each race. By having a routine for such race specific tasks you have more mental focus on the race and less wasted mental energy looking for safety pins, deciding at the last minute which top to wear, or looking for a different pair of shoes somewhere in the abyss of your car trunk. The more uncertainty you can reduce before a race the better. Once your pre-race checklist is complete, go to the starting line feeling focused and confident about the race you are about to run. By focusing on the race at hand you don’t allow doubt or self-defeating thoughts to creep in.

It must be emphasized that pre-race routines are a very individual thing. If you find yourself overly nervous before a race you may need to use some form of imagery that tends to relax and calm you. On the other hand, if you tend to be flat before races think of things that tend to get you pumped up or listen to your favorite psych-up music. The key is to believe in yourself and what you are doing. A sound pre-race routine is no guarantee to a having a good race, but it can certainly increase the odds of having a good race. Anything that moves the odds in your favor is a plus, and a pre-race routine is no exception.