THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ATHLETE: NO ONE SEES WHAT HAPPENS AN HOUR BEFORE THE RACE

When someone asks what it feels like to stand on the starting line, the usual answer is that it feels great – and it does. But that’s not the whole story. No one sees what happens an hour before the race. Sitting in the stands, pretending to be fine. Checking gear even though everything is already packed. Listening to music without really knowing what’s playing in the headphones. Looking around and wondering whether everyone else is really that calm, or if they’re just better at hiding it. Then the mind speaks up.

"What if you’re not good enough today?"

"What if you make a mistake?"

"What if you disappoint your coach, your parents, or yourself?"

And suddenly it feels like the race has already started. Not on the track, but in the mind. It once seemed necessary to get rid of the nerves. To believe that real champions are confident and calm before a race. That turned out to be wrong. The nerves are still there, but there is no panic about them anymore. Nervousness is not an enemy. It is just a reminder that it matters. It’s a reminder of weeks, months, sometimes years of preparation for this moment. The hardest part is not beating opponents on the track. The hardest part is silencing the voice that says it can’t be done. That is why there is a routine. Taking several deep breaths. Remembering what is under control. Repeating one sentence that brings everything back to the present moment. Not thinking about the result or what will happen an hour from now. Focusing only on the here and now, even when that is anything but easy. 

The truth is that winning does NOT happen every time. A personal best does not come in every race. Even though it hurts, every race is a step closer to the desired goal. There is always something to learn from every race. The most important thing is to walk away afterwards knowing that fear was not brought to the starting line. Preparedness was. 

Crossing the finish line, spectators have only seen a few seconds of performance. They have not seen the hundreds of hours of training. They have not seen all the moments of self-doubt. They have not seen how many times there was a desire to quit. They have not seen how hard it can be to believe in oneself, and they certainly have not seen the most important battle. The one that takes place an hour before every race, in the mind. That battle is now known to be one of the key factors that determines how the performance will turn out.