Your Brain on Race Day: Understanding Pre-Race Anxiety | Athlete’s Compass

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, co-hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai unpack the often-overlooked reality of race day anxiety for everyday endurance athletes. They explore how physiological responses like elevated heart rate and the “monkey mind” can feel overwhelming, yet serve a functional purpose. The team discusses personal stories, evidence-based strategies like visualization and race-day rehearsals, and the power of simple tools—breathing, smiling, human connection—to reframe anxiety into a performance enhancer. They emphasize preparation, self-efficacy, and presence as key to transforming nerves into fuel.

Key Episode Takeaways
Race anxiety is normal—even beneficial. It's your sympathetic nervous system preparing you for peak performance.
The amygdala triggers the fight-or-flight response, but emotions like anxiety can be short-lived if not mentally recycled.
Preparation is your best defense: mental rehearsal, race plans, and pacing practice reduce unpredictability.
Visualize the whole experience: from arriving in town to the final push—especially what to do if things go wrong.
Human connection helps regulate cortisol: smiling, eye contact, and small interactions ease stress.
Breathe to break the anxiety loop: techniques like box breathing calm the nervous system and restore focus.
Self-efficacy is key: confidence from training and process goals reduces pressure on outcome.
Reframe nerves as excitement and privilege: gratitude turns stress into motivation.

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