What Are You Really Afraid Of?

By Cheryl Hart

“Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.” — Inscription on Ancient Mantelpiece in Hind's Head Hotel, Bray , England

Halloween conjures up all sorts of spooky images.The trick is to change the meaning we give them. As you approach the race site, do you begin to feel tense?We all know the signs of fear: Racing heart, shaking knees, sweaty palms, a lump in your throat and butterflies in the pit of your stomach. Athletes often fail to achieve their best if they're too tense or afraid.In this way, you become your own worst enemy.You are your biggest opponent instead of fan club. If you are stressed out and anxious, your mind and muscles can not work in harmony and it is impossible for you to focus on the race at hand and run to your full potential.

One of my clients came to me because she was experiencing so much pre-race anxiety that she would vomit before the start. We began by exploring what she feared most and discovered that she placed too much importance on the outcome of each race. Regardless of her level of performance, she was upset if she didn't win. Another top female athlete, feeling extreme pressure to keep the lead in a race, actually jumped off a bridge on the course in an attempt to take herself out of that seemingly stressful situation. She survived the fall and through counseling addressed her issues of fearfulness and insecurity. The adage, “The only thing you have to fear is fear itself” rings true in this case.

John “The Penguin” Bingham once wrote in his Runner's World Magazine column:

“It occurred to me how much of my life had been spent worrying about things I couldn't see. I seemed to always be thinking about what happened, what I thought was going to happen or what I was afraid might happen.And while I'd been preoccupied by these thoughts, my life had been passing by unnoticed, right in front of my eyes.”

Remember: Races have no meaning except what you give them. Despite the nerves, it's important to remind yourself that it is still just an event.This holds true whether it's a local fun run or the Olympic Time Trial. We are the ones who create the perception of win-lose.The pressure comes only from inside our minds.Fear is something we invent.If you can try to relax and have fun with it, you'll maximize on your performance. Each of us reacts to stress in a different way.Start to become aware of the early signs of stress or fear when you face a difficult situation.This will be your warning in the future to change your mind set and try to use relaxation techniques.

But how do you alleviate fear and relax when your nerves are rattled?

What works for one person, may not work for another.But, in all high-pressured, stressful situations, first take a deep breath.Continue to breath slowly and deeply, relaxing with each exhale. You might experiment with learning to imagine yourself in a serene place that is like a sanctuary to you. This should be a place where you feel peace and comfort.It might be a quiet morning hour in your garden, a secluded beach or your evening bubble bath by candlelight. Make this your own and use the image regularly whenever you feel anxious or afraid. Practice the techniques prior to competition in every day activities--when stuck in work traffic or a long line at the grocery checkout.

Effective relaxation works both physically and psychologically.As the tension decreases, your heart rate and breathing slow and your negative thoughts turn to ones that are enabling rather than crippling. Despite what Vince Lombardi said, winning is not everything.In fact, that kind of thinking limits you.

Many runners never reach their full potential because they only focus on finding races where they think they might win.If they can bring home an age-group award in a neighborhood run, that is more desirable than placing in the top ten in a more competitive event.They don't work on getting better or running faster but only about insignificant bragging rights, showing off their latest trophy. In this way, fear is linked to low self-esteem.

The lesson here is more about life than winning races. It is always more important to be the best you can be than to finish first. And even more important is having the courage to toe the line at the start. Theodore Roosevelt summed it up best when he said,

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Cheryl Hart, owner of 2 nd Wind Motivation, helps individuals, teams and corporations establish and achieve goals.She is a motivational speaker, certified fitness specialist and spin instructor and is currently pursuing a masters in sport psychology. Cheryl is also an All-American triathlete and duathlete, competing on Team USA internationally.To contact Cheryl call 693-7443, e-mail offrunnin@yahoo.com or visit www.2ndWindMotivation.com .