Nerves - Let's Get Them All Out!

[SunDial]

I am getting nervous. Mostly because it's my first half marathon, and my first Disney race. And while I will be 10K of my newest BFFs, I will be running alone.

Can someone break down the half marathon in chunks like the poster did with the marathon? That would be helpful for me.

It would be the same til the turn to AK. After that for me was the Car Care Center to the cloverleaf for Epcot Dr. Then Epcot Dr to the entrance of parking lot at mile 12. Parking lot thru Center section of future World and out to finish line.

Have fun, enjoy and Wear your medal everywhere

 

[BikeFan]

I'm SO looking forward to these races precisely because I know I won't have jitters, and I can actually enjoy race weekend. When I'm racing for time, I'm usually an anxious mess, and I keep wondering why I do this whole racing thing for "fun", but I've got no time goals for either the half or the full this time. I'm just looking to enjoy the experience, and I'm sure I will. Trust your training, folks, and have a little faith in yourselves. Humans can do amazing things when they push aside fear and go after their full potential. Good luck to all!!

 

[maw]

Humans can do amazing things when they push aside fear and go after their full potential.

I'm hanging that up some place - that's great!

 

[derekleigh]

Nerves are normal for runners of all levels. I was nerves last year as it was my first full! But three things helped me:
1) Looking back through my running log at the long runs re-enforced my confidence that I had done the training and could go the distance
2) My wife had gotten me "The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances" by The Oatmeal and the humor helped!
3) A little pre-race music helped the blood flow through the veins!

Marathon Weekend will be my 23rd 5K and 10th half marathon so these aren't new distances for myself. The 5K for me is more a nice dark warm-up run through Epcot, which I've always wanted to do!

The Half will be my 3rd Disney Marathon Weekend half and I'd like to PR, however being FL, Disney, and all its hard to do so. I'm two corrals above from the last two (C this year!!) and that may help. But at this point I have no nerves for the races which actually may help in my quest for a PR as my body will be more relaxed and calm. The biggest nerve I have is making sure I can go to the bathroom before I leave my condo so I don't have to stop on the course!

Now the flight down to FL, well my nerves are through the roof!

 

[FFigawi]

The Half will be my 3rd Disney Marathon Weekend half and I'd like to PR, however being FL, Disney, and all its hard to do so. I'm two corrals above from the last two (C this year!!) and that may help. But at this point I have no nerves for the races which actually may help in my quest for a PR as my body will be more relaxed and calm. The biggest nerve I have is making sure I can go to the bathroom before I leave my condo so I don't have to stop on the course!

From corral C, the best way to PR the half is to go steady until you are past the Grand Floridian and the road opens back up to multiple lanes. At that point, you've got clear running all the way to where you enter Epcot, so pick up the pace a bit and make the most of it. Also, run the tangents as best you can. You can save a lot of time/distance, especially going through TTC and MK, by not sticking to one side of the road the whole time unless you're on a straightaway.

 

[LSUlakes]

I kinda talked about it on the marathon thread, but I will say a little more about it here... maybe once I write it, I will see how ridiculous I sound.

I am having some serious doubts about hitting my time goal for the marathon. I am not worried so much about completing the race, because I have done so with less training. I just don't feel I can keep up my goal pace beyond mile 16-18. I am also worried about the weather being a major factor for this race. I know for some, warm weather is what they want, and I also know its south FL, its just warm there. Ideal marathon weather for me would have a low of 35 and temps would not get above 55 prior to finishing the race. Cloud cover would be nice. If starting temps are around 60, this marathon will be a completely different race for me. I hope the cold I have goes away soon so I can run without coughing up lung. Seriously, I feel like I smoke a pack a day when running with this cold.
A positive note, I cant wait to be standing in my corral waiting for the start of the race. Its such an exciting feeling, I think I may like it more than the actual finish.

 

[derekleigh]

From corral C, the best way to PR the half is to go steady until you are past the Grand Floridian and the road opens back up to multiple lanes. At that point, you've got clear running all the way to where you enter Epcot, so pick up the pace a bit and make the most of it. Also, run the tangents as best you can. You can save a lot of time/distance, especially going through TTC and MK, by not sticking to one side of the road the whole time unless you're on a straightaway.

Thanks, great advise! I'm curious as to how congested (hopefully less thereof) starting in C. I have always been in E for my previous 2 WDW Half marathons in 2012 and 2014. This year I am ahead two corrals. I had previously used the castle as a marker for when to start picking up my pace as well as a point where the congestion really starts to thin out.

 

[FFigawi]

It's congested at the start until you get onto World Drive. After that, it's not too bad until running up Main Street and again through the castle.

 

[Neoflynn]

I am having some serious doubts about hitting my time goal for the marathon.

my advice is just relax and let the race come to you, the two worst halfs I have ever run where when I was focusing to much on time (I really wanted to go sub 2 this year and wanted it in time for PoT for the marathon) I find that for me to run my best I don't even focus on time and just sit back and go, I know this doesn't work for everyone any you are far more experienced than I am and know what works for you but especially with you being under the weather leading up to the race maybe not focusing on time or dialing your expectations back a bit before race day might help you

 

[flvy]

I normally have an awesome inner dialogue of omg *** am I doing here these are like real runners. I got over this at W&D by making friends and chatting up till start.

I'm super nervous for my first real half in Feb but that has more to do with what the weather is going to be like.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I kinda talked about it on the marathon thread, but I will say a little more about it here... maybe once I write it, I will see how ridiculous I sound.

I am having some serious doubts about hitting my time goal for the marathon. I am not worried so much about completing the race, because I have done so with less training. I just don't feel I can keep up my goal pace beyond mile 16-18. I am also worried about the weather being a major factor for this race. I know for some, warm weather is what they want, and I also know its south FL, its just warm there. Ideal marathon weather for me would have a low of 35 and temps would not get above 55 prior to finishing the race. Cloud cover would be nice. If starting temps are around 60, this marathon will be a completely different race for me. I hope the cold I have goes away soon so I can run without coughing up lung. Seriously, I feel like I smoke a pack a day when running with this cold.
A positive note, I cant wait to be standing in my corral waiting for the start of the race. Its such an exciting feeling, I think I may like it more than the actual finish.

Honestly, I believe in the "train by pace, but race by feel" mantra like @Neoflynn. When training, I diligently try to maintain a certain pace by consistently checking my lap pace every 0.25 mile or so. But when it comes to racing, I start my garmin and then set it to watch mode. It will give me updates every mile and sometimes I'll look and sometimes I won't. But whether I look or not, I don't let the number encourage or discourage me. You've done enough training and other marathons to "know" what it's suppose to feel like. You've also done training at marathon goal race pace, and "know" what that effort felt like. When it comes to about 10 miles into the race, that's when I'll start to move into my known effort marathon pace.

I posted about it before but the human mind has a limited number of things it can think about during a certain time frame. Cyclists were given tasks before a ride to exhaustion. One group had easy mental tasks, and the other hard mental tasks. The ones with the easy mental tasks outperformed the hard task group by 15% in the ride to exhaustion. By removing the worry over pacing during the race, it actually helps make you faster (at least thats what I believe). A different way I see it is, I am removing one more set of feedback for my mind. The mind controls the idea of fatigue. If you limit the feedback the mind is getting, then it will allow you to go deeper into your reserves.

 

[opusone]

I am having some serious doubts about hitting my time goal for the marathon.

I completely agree with @DopeyBadger and @Neoflynn on this one, race by feel. Never be tied to your watch on race day. My best runs were where I just went by feel. It may be that your body tells you to start out slower than goal pace, but later in the race, the same "feel" will be faster than goal pace (or vice versa). If you had instead forced yourself to go out at goal pace, then you may have expended too much energy early on (running too fast, spending too much time dodging others, etc.), which can really make for a painful last half.

The one caution I will point out, though, is that going by feel can sometimes cause you to start too fast if you are feeling really good that day. So, I do look at my watch at about mile 0.25 just to make sure I'm not accidently going out way too fast. If I'm within +/-10 secs or so of my goal pace at mile 0.25, I call that a successful start. If it's really crowded at the start, you are more likely to go out slower, and that is fine, but just don't get caught up worrying or trying to force it.

Relax your breathing, relax your shoulders, focus on a nice cadence, and pick a pace that you feel you can maintain for at least 26 miles. If you are feeling good, the pace will naturally pick up during the run, and the energy you saved in the early miles will really come in handy.

 

[DopeyBadger]

The one caution I will point out, though, is that going by feel can sometimes cause you to start too fast if you are feeling really good that day. So, I do look at my watch at about mile 0.25 just to make sure I'm not accidently going out way too fast. If I'm within +/-10 secs or so of my goal pace at mile 0.25, I call that a successful start. If it's really crowded at the start, you are more likely to go out slower, and that is fine, but just don't get caught up worrying or trying to force it.

My method is called the Pac-Man. I line up at the start with others of similar goals (usually via a pacer). Then when the race starts, I intentionally make sure I am slower than them. I let my little ghosts go about their little ways. When I hit about mile 10 is when I chomp down on my Pac-Man "power pellet" and it's time to go get me some ghosts. My goal then is to seek and find the ghosts that got away from me in the beginning and chomp-chomp-chomp.

My rationale is that most people tend to start too fast at the beginning. If I line up with people of similar goals, then my assumption is as long as I am going slower than them at the beginning then I'm right where I need to be.

 

[BikeFan]

I completely agree with @DopeyBadger and @Neoflynn on this one, race by feel. Never be tied to your watch on race day. My best runs were where I just went by feel. It may be that your body tells you to start out slower than goal pace, but later in the race, the same "feel" will be faster than goal pace (or vice versa). If you had instead forced yourself to go out at goal pace, then you may have expended too much energy early on (running too fast, spending too much time dodging others, etc.), which can really make for a painful last half.

The one caution I will point out, though, is that going by feel can sometimes cause you to start too fast if you are feeling really good that day. So, I do look at my watch at about mile 0.25 just to make sure I'm not accidently going out way too fast. If I'm within +/-10 secs or so of my goal pace at mile 0.25, I call that a successful start. If it's really crowded at the start, you are more likely to go out slower, and that is fine, but just don't get caught up worrying or trying to force it.

Wise words. I just had an epic crash-n-burn (and also a PR!) in my last marathon because I was feeling GREAT at the start and went with a pace group that was running several minutes ahead of their advertised goal. Seeing the first few splits, I knew I was running at the absolute limit of my current fitness, but I was hoping for a little race-day magic and stuck with the fast pace. I paid for it with a big positive split in the second half of that race and a death march over the final 10K. Even when you feel great, it's important to leave a little in the tank for a longer distance like the marathon. Hitting the wall is no fun!

 

[BikeFan]

I normally have an awesome inner dialogue of omg *** am I doing here these are like real runners. I got over this at W&D by making friends and chatting up till start.

I'm super nervous for my first real half in Feb but that has more to do with what the weather is going to be like.

Someone wiser than me once said, "If you run, you're a real runner. I've never met a fake runner." Personally, I respect anyone out there giving it a go. Enjoy the journey!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Wise words. I just had an epic crash-n-burn (and also a PR!) in my last marathon because I was feeling GREAT at the start and went with a pace group that was running several minutes ahead of their advertised goal. Seeing the first few splits, I knew I was running at the absolute limit of my current fitness, but I was hoping for a little race-day magic and stuck with the fast pace. I paid for it with a big positive split in the second half of that race and a death march over the final 10K. Even when you feel great, it's important to leave a little in the tank for a longer distance like the marathon. Hitting the wall is no fun!

Try using the Pac-Man the next time out. Just let everybody pass you in the beginning, knowing you'll see them later in the race. Not that there is anything special about it, but my last two splits on races were...

Marathon (October)
1st half - 1:52:53
2nd half - 1:46:00 (a then PR for a half)
*Not passed by anyone after mile 7

Half Marathon (December)
1st half - 52:09
2nd half - 46:40
*Not passed by anyone after mile 2

It begs the question with such large negative splits whether I could have done better, but based on how I was feeling each of those days I firmly believe if the second half came first I probably wouldn't have been able to do the first half time during the later portion. I feed off passing people.

 

[BikeFan]

Try using the Pac-Man the next time out. Just let everybody pass you in the beginning, knowing you'll see them later in the race. Not that there is anything special about it, but my last two splits on races were...

Marathon (October)
1st half - 1:52:53
2nd half - 1:46:00 (a then PR for a half)
*Not passed by anyone after mile 7

Half Marathon (December)
1st half - 52:09
2nd half - 46:40
*Not passed by anyone after mile 2

It begs the question with such large negative splits whether I could have done better, but based on how I was feeling each of those days I firmly believe if the second half came first I probably wouldn't have been able to do the first half time during the later portion. I feed off passing people.

Yeah, I know the feeling. It's pretty great to be reeling folks in for the final 10K of a marathon, and I enjoy it when I can do it. On good days, I can manage pretty solid splits, with a slightly faster finish. It's just a question of being disciplined at the start and not spending too much energy too early. For my first Boston qualifier, I actually managed a negative split with both halves only 35 seconds apart. That was some epic pacing!

 

[flvy]

Someone wiser than me once said, "If you run, you're a real runner. I've never met a fake runner." Personally, I respect anyone out there giving it a go. Enjoy the journey!

I remind myself of this daily when I go out and run. I'm out there I'm real.

 

[roxymama]

I'm weirdly thinking of my vacation like a marathon with all the things we "have to do" along that way which is stressing me out and I need to Let It Go. I need to remember all the things we "have to do" are FUN THINGS AT DISNEY!
It's because I'm the planner of the family and so it falls on me.
I think it will actually be pretty zen to go take the ride to the starting line and run my race because that is my me time

 

[LSUlakes]

I'm weirdly thinking of my vacation like a marathon with all the things we "have to do" along that way which is stressing me out and I need to Let It Go. I need to remember all the things we "have to do" are FUN THINGS AT DISNEY!
It's because I'm the planner of the family and so it falls on me.
I think it will actually be pretty zen to go take the ride to the starting line and run my race because that is my me time

I also like to plan things out, and even more so when a big race is involved. I know how you feel about it and understand. Just wanted to show some moral support I guess...