Something jumped out at me as I was scrolling through my Instagram today. Thanks for sharing all of the pics, stories, experiences, and recaps from Sea Otter. It's really cool (and inspiring!) to see a familiar face lining up among world's top pros! At a race like this, do you get pre-race jitters.. and if so, is there anything in particular you do to help keep that under control?
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OMG, that guy's stash is epic!
Oh, pre-race jitters are out of control at a race like this! Having multiple races helps a ton, (I know I have another chance if I mess up). And I was def less jittery this year compared to last year - mainly, I make an effort to ensure absolutely everything that I can control is under control - from gear, nutrition, bike prep/maint., (nothing makes me more nervous than realizing I forgot to check my tire pressure or eat at the right time!), pre riding the course to arriving 3 hours early to the event (the traffic is really unpredictable), plus the venue is huge and crowded. It also helps to chat with the other racers during warm up. It becomes clear really quickly that everyone is in the same boat - nervous, excited & overwhelmed.
Also, not worrying about the race result helps - I'm under no pretense that I'll be running with the head liners - so personal improvement is what I focus on. I hear a lot of racers repeating "I'm going to be so slow, I'm going to get crushed, etc..." and I just think, why are you telling yourself that?? When I do my absolute best, leave everything on the course, have a clean ride and stay focused, my place on the results list doesn't matter because I feel so freaking awesome - and that's what it's all about, isn't it -- that incredible feeling of pushing yourself to your limits and getting a little farther than you thought possible.
I wouldn't call it race jitters, but I def get the some insane chills when the national anthem plays. The entire place is quiet, everything is utterly calm, and as the song finishes the surrounding crowd starts banging on the signs & fencing, ringing bells and yelling while the announcer is shouting about the top female mtb racers in the US & the world about to hit the course. It's a really incredible atmosphere, and then the 2 min mark is announced and all the racers crush down from 8 staged rows to 3-4ish and I'm smack in the middle, a person behind Emily Batty, Kate Courtney, Katerina Nash, Cloe Woodruff - I feel so incredibly humbled and honored to be at the center of it all. There is just nothing else like it.
