Running everyday will get you far but will not take you to the end result if you do not know how to “show up” when it comes to race day. What I mean by this is that in order to perform to your full ability in a race, there are several crucial factors that come into play and greatly impact how you run. These include but are not limited to, the food consumed days/moments prior to race, amount of sleep from previous days, recovery methods (such as icing, stretching, rolling out), and the last and most important: your mental game. If all of those factors are met to their full potential, the chances of being able to “show up” on race day are positively impacted. Good preparation is the first step to success. Oh, and actually showing up will lead to a good race too ;)
For me, running has a deeper meaning than just staying physically active, competing on a team, or being apart of something. Running helps me to survive . Now maybe I'm being overdramatic, but it truly does greatly impact my ability to eat. When I run, I burn calories, obviously. Therefore, I get hungry much faster and my innate desire for food and nourishment increases. When I do not run for long periods of time, I find it very difficult for me to eat enough and as often as a 19-year-old growing woman should. When I am running everyday, I remember to take care of my body and fuel it so that it can work to its full potential, allowing me to run the very best I can. Eating and nutrition can be a very sensitive topic amongst female distance runners, which is why I myself speak carefully in hopes of not upsetting any readers. However, talking about my own personal views on it helps to spread awareness and expose another point of view that maybe others can relate to, which is worth it ...
As a past cross country runner myself, I completely agree. I think it is very important to meet all of those points in order to perform well in a race. These factors all play an important role on how you feel before, during, and after a race. I would struggle with my confidence which is one of the reasons why I had a hard time performing when it came to the day of the race. I love your post and agree that all of those factors play hand in hand with any athletic sport.
ReplyDeleteWhew girl you hit it right on the head! Yes, just because you are physically there doesn't mean you cam prepared. Many people believe that you can show up for a race and just run; as if it's super easy. It's the exact opposite and you touched on a lot of the factors that is required to perform well. Not only just race day, but everyday to be honest. After rejoining the track team, I am realizing that I really do have to do the "extra" on top of the basic requirements to be successful on the track!
ReplyDeleteGood for you that you are this dedicated to a sport you love. You go the extra mile when preparing your body for you sport. There are people out there that do not go that extra mile to succeed. But you seem to have it all down and ready to go! I hope you win all your races.
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