25+ years racing, recent pre-race nausea (nerves??), HELP!
Hey smart folks of TeamEN... I've been racing a long, long time, but have noticed something lately about myself re: bigger, tougher races - I get sick beforehand. ... as in can't get food down and even discreetly puking at the pre-race expo or most recently, at T1 set-up morning of race! What the heck!!! I want to say it's something I ate, but... I honestly think it's nerves, and it seems particularly bad at a race that is "tough" in my mind - ie, hilly, long, and me feeling under-prepared. Any tips for how I can avoid this as I head to ITU Long Course this week - a hilly, long course for which I feel under-trained. 
It's really not fun to race with an underfed belly! Thanks!
It's really not fun to race with an underfed belly! Thanks!
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I agree, its probably anticipatory anxiety at work. Since IMO the anxiety is a good thing, getting your body and mind ready for the work ahead, the trick is finding a way and time to make sure you have adequate calories and fluid on board at race time. I don't know if there are any secrets or strategies that always work, but what I've done for more than ten years before big races (Ironman, World Championships) is go totally liquid after lunch the day before - protein boosted smoothie for dinner the night before, Ensure or some other bottled smoothie in the morning. I know that I'm ready when I'm intermittently getting a pit in my stomach in the days before a race, and on the morning of. I never actually throw up, but I always get occasional waves of flutters (like right now, just thinking about it), which I take as a good sign. If it's not there, I worry...
First off are you under prepared or just feeling under prepared? If its the latter and you have put in the work then check your key workout RR, Swim TT, etc. and reaffirm in you mind that you are truly ready for this race. Use your numbers or workouts to provide you with confidence.
If its the former you just have to come to terms with your fitness going in and this is probably more difficult. This year at LP I think I felt some of this given my short bikes and two weeks off swimming from a crash. See my most recent race report as what can be done missing a significant chuck of training time 2 weeks including the final race rehearsal.
Some thing that help me with the former.
1) You've been doing this a long time know that your fitness will carry you a long way even if you are under prepared.
2) For me readjusting my expectations can help take some of the pressure off. Focus on execution not any time goals.
3) I spent several years doing Karate and some meditation help centre me. Make sure you go in to the race relaxed, massage, yoga whatever works for you. Also get some time at race venue to relax each day even if it's only a few minutes here or there, but even better if you can get a block of time.
4) Switch the tough, hilly long in your mind to more positive thoughts. This could be general positive thoughts like "I've got this" "I've done races like this X amount of times".
Have a great race
Gordon
While my GI tract is not a weak link, pre-race anxiety recently produced a sleepless night and a DNS at an Oly.. and that is a 35 year first! In retrospect, I believe that I am having increasing fear of failure to meet my expectations. I have a solid track record of showing up to difficult long course races relatively undertrained and executing my way to a finish that satisfied me. It might be a little of the imposter syndrome... or even worse, that as a veteran athlete, I feel that I'm supposed to be rock solid from pre-race to post-race. It doesn't help that my goal power and pace need to be set lower as I approach the next age-up. The truth is that once I get through the first few minutes of the swim, my brain just moves my muscles and I start feeling "normal" again. Perhaps I've lost sight of the fun of participating in some epic events. ITU LD Worlds is one of those opportunities. I went last year and had only one thing in mind... "relax and swim easy." There is no reason to be thinking about the bike and run at the start line... its just too awesome to be wearing that Team USA Kit. Have the time of your life, regardless of what the clock says ;-)
Much appreciated!! Hope to see you out there Al!