The Traps of Race Frustration: Three Lessons for your Next Race
In an ideal world, every race we run goes great. However that is not always the case. Even as a physical therapist and run coach, this happened to me during my last half marathon. Sometimes bad races happen and we have no idea why they happen or so we think…
Leading up to the race, my body was healthy, recovered, and I was confident after stringing together a solid training block. Going into the race, I thought there might be a good chance of a half marathon PR on the other side.
Once the race started, my body had a different story to tell. By 3 miles in, I was alone and already starting to hurt more than anticipated trying to maintain goal pace. I continued to push through miles 4-7 but was struggling to stay confident as I saw my heart climb and my effort continue to increase. This is where knowledge of physiology negatively impacted me. I knew that based on my heart rate and effort that I would cap out at about 1 hour… but my goal time was 13 minutes past that time.
Even as miles 8-10 approached and I passed the 3rd place runner. I knew that if he made a move, I would not be able to counter it. I had already defeated myself. Then this self fulfilling prophecy then came true.
With just under a mile to go, the other runner made a strong move to which I responded slightly but not fully committed. I felt gassed and believed I did not have enough left so I trotted in the last three quarters of mile for a 4th place finish.
For most of this race, and a good 2 hours afterwards, I was frustrated. Frustrated with how my body responded. Frustrated with how I raced alone for nearly 9 miles. Frustrated that I did not adjust my mindset mid race. Frustrated that I could not respond to a hard move at the end of the race. And frustrated I let third place slip through my hands.
This frustration may seem well earned given the circumstances, however there are a few lessons that we can take from this.
The first being, control the controllable. Most frustration comes from our inability to control all of our circumstances. However, we can control how we react to circumstances. By regulating our emotions, this places us back in the driver seat in how we approach the next mile of the race or life event. For example, you can focus on the hot and humid race conditions and give into the heat or you can recognize everyone else is competing in the same conditions as you and give it your best effort. Reflect back into your own life, what controllables do you need to focus on?
Second, create mental assessment check points during the race. This time should be used to assess where your mindset has moved too. If you are in a positive mindset, great! Continue to feed that focus and positive attitude. If it's negative, this gives you a chance to reset and focus on positives. Try the following:
Body Scan: Am I running tense? Relax and release the tensions
Pace Check: Am I running my race or focused on everyone else?
Mindset Shift: Name three positive things happening right now. (I’ve hit all the water stops I wanted, my family is here supporting me, and my legs feel strong and springy)
A good anchor to do this would be each time you take a gel or grab water from a water stop. These physical points will help avoid letting your mind wander into too negative of a space.
Finally, allow frustration to happen, it means you care but remain grateful in it. Frustration can be a good thing as it motivates you to something greater next time. However, be aware of how you carry yourself afterwards and around others. Are you still able to celebrate what others accomplish? Can you be thankful for what you have accomplished despite a missed goal? If you are unable to do these things, then I would challenge you to find three things to be grateful for from the race.
Ready to Build a Frustration-Proof Race Plan? As a PT and Run Coach, I help athletes integrate physical training with the mental resilience needed to finish strong. If you’re tired of letting your mind defeat your body, let’s talk. Book a Free 15-Minute Performance Consult Today.
