Struggling with race day nerves? Learn simple mindset tools to stay calm, confident, and ready to run your best on race day

Race day nerves are real – and they can make or break your performance. If you’ve ever stood in the starting corral with your heart pounding, thinking “I’m not ready” or “What if I can’t do this?”, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr podcast, Coach G shares practical, psychology-backed strategies to help you feel calm, confident, and mentally prepared before, during, and after your next race. Whether you’re running a 5K, half marathon, marathon, or your very first event, these tools will help you turn race anxiety into fuel – not fear.

You’ll learn:

• How to manage pre-race nerves using proven mindset techniques
• Why visualisation and mantras are powerful tools for race-day success
• How to reframe nerves as excitement
• The mental strategies runners use during a race to stay focused and strong
• What to do after your race to grow, reflect, and build long-term confidence

Listen to the episode right here, and then read on for some great journal prompts. These will help you mentally prepare before race day and debrief intentionally afterward. And why not check out the Runner Mindset Workshop recording at the end of this blog. This will help you understand – and update – what you are telling yourself about you as a runner.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a running friend who needs encouragement, and don’t forget to subscribe to Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr podcast for more running mindset tips so that you don’t miss an episode.
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Journal Prompts

Here are some powerful journal prompts to help you build a stronger, calmer, more resilient mindset:

• Pre-race:
  • What emotions am I feeling about this race, and what might those emotions be trying to tell me?
  • What evidence do I have that I’m capable and prepared? List at least three examples. If you struggle with 3, do 5. If you struggle with 5, do 10.
  • What would running this race as my best self look and feel like?
  • What’s in my control on race day, and what do I need to let go of?
• Post-race:
  • When did I feel most confident during the race? What contributed to that feeling?
  • When did I feel challenged or uncertain? How did I respond mentally?
  • What self-talk helped me, and what self-talk held me back?
  • What am I proud of from today – big or small?
  • What did this race teach me about myself as a runner?

After you’ve used these prompts to delve deeper, come over to the Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr community to continue the conversation.

Here is a fantastic and free Runner Mindset Workshop to help you reclaim your runner story and spot the mindset stories that are holding you back.