{"id":109447,"date":"2026-09-15T09:36:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/my-first-race-tips-for-handling-the-nerves-and-competing-with-confidence\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T09:36:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:36:24","slug":"my-first-race-tips-for-handling-the-nerves-and-competing-with-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/en\/my-first-race-tips-for-handling-the-nerves-and-competing-with-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"My first race: tips for handling the nerves and competing with confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your first race starts long before you cross the start line. It starts when you decide to pin on a race bib, when the nerves and doubts appear and when you ask yourself: will I be ready? What if I don’t reach my goal? What do I have to do on race day?<\/em><\/p>\n

If you are about to take part in your first road race<\/strong>, it is normal to feel excited and eager, but also to experience nerves<\/strong>, fear<\/strong> or uncertainty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And there is something worth remembering from the very start: feeling this way is completely normal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Why can your first race make you nervous?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In recent years there has been growing participation in road races. The reasons why amateur runners start and keep up their sport are very varied, the main ones being health, socialising, fun, competing with others and improving sporting performance (Manzano-S\u00e1nchez et al., 2020).<\/p>\n

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If we think back to our own beginnings, or those of our training partners, we will surely find cases of someone who started running because a friend encouraged them, because they wanted to meet new people, because they wanted to improve their health and were told running was the best way, because they wanted a challenge or to switch off from their daily routine. Every story is unique and personal, even if we can find some common motivations.<\/p>\n

The decision to go to “your first race” may be taken with great excitement, enthusiasm or confidence, but sometimes also with many doubts, fears, pressure, stress or anxiety. You move from a familiar, safe context (your training environment) to one marked by greater uncertainty, demands and social evaluation. Competition changes the psychological demands.<\/p>\n

When you look at other runners, it is easy to think they are all better prepared, more confident or know exactly what they are doing. However, many of them may be feeling and thinking exactly the same as you.<\/p>\n

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4 strategies for facing your first race<\/h3>\n

There are some things you can do before the competition<\/strong> to feel better prepared, reduce uncertainty and gain confidence.<\/p>\n

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  1. Set goals that depend on you<\/li>\n
  2. Use what helps you stay calm<\/li>\n
  3. Prepare a pre-race routine<\/li>\n
  4. Have a plan B<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Setting goals that depend on you, learning to recognise\/understand\/regulate your emotions, having a pre-race routine or drawing up an action plan are some of the strategies you can use to feel calmer and more relaxed, gain confidence and\/or reduce uncertainty.<\/p>\n

    Let’s look at them in more detail.<\/p>\n

    Set goals that depend on you<\/h4>\n

    Having a goal can motivate you and help you face the race. But try to make it specific, realistic and, above all, important to you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Let’s see:<\/p>\n