From Tension to Attunement: A Cyclist’s Guide to Race-Day Relaxation
You’ve tapered the week before the race.
You’ve completed your leg-openers the day before.
You’ve gone through your checklists for your bike, gear, nutrition, hydration, race entry sign-up, etc.
You’ve reviewed YouTube race footage of the course from years past.
Good!
You’ve checked the logistical boxes.
Now what about preparing your head and your body?
Do you know any mental strategies or “hacks” for race-day?
Below, I will share what I’ve found helpful as a bike racer and a psycho-therapist to help you lesson anxiety and better enjoy yourself in the competition.
Why a well-regulated nervous system matters
Riding bikes requires our full attunement.
This is especially true when racing bikes, descending or navigating mixed surfaces.
Your only job (besides checking your bike and gear) is to bring your nervous system to a well-regulated, relaxed and attuned state.
Your mind will naturally follow your nervous system.
When we become well-regulated, our head creates stories of safety.
If we are dysregulated, stories of vigilance, comparison and “being against” arise.
Intuiting versus Anticipating
Tending to our nervous system allows us to show up in a mindset of abundance, rather than scarcity.
And this abundance mindset enables good judgement, or more specifically, discernment.
When we are well-regulated, we can discern the best moves.
In this state, we rightly see anticipation as being fear-based, and dismiss it as a low-quality tool for measuring decisions.
When we are dysregulated, we falsely believe that anticipation is worth using.
This anticipation (fear) does an amazing job of masquerading as intuition.
Building awareness of this relationship with anticipation is the first step in changing it.
Below are some tips and exercises on how to do this.
Pre-Race Tips
Only use stimulants like caffeine if needed.
Avoid caffeine, or drink low-caffeinated drinks such as green tea if you have an early race and/or a long drive.
Caffeine can fuel anxiety or a lust for intensity, not you.
This can cause you to not connect with your values, and therefore step out of your integrity, compromising your reputation in the cycling community.
Save a caffeine gels or caffeinated electrolyte mix for well-into your ride/race.
Listen to a low-key playlist, such as a calming house mix.
Set boundaries with the “Rap Caviar” playlist, drum and bass (DnB) or heavy metal playlists
Rightly guiding your nervous system with music may initially seem boring on race-day
Remember, we are being intentional in the growth of intuition, attunement and discernment. Caffeine compromises these attempts.
Make genuine connection before the ride.
Wave and smile. Take that grounded energy into interactions with others.
Go around to the different team tents at the race. Check in on people and their pursuits off the bike.
Introduce yourself, centering the values of generosity and authenticity.
Be careful of who you make connection with.
Avoid those who are under the impression that the race isn’t a game, and that they are their race results.
Regulation Exercises
Breathing Techniques:
Deep, controlled breathing is a powerful tool for calming the nervous system.
Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing and box breathing can be practiced before a ride, during warm-up, or even in moments of high stress to reduce anxiety.
Mindfulness and Meditation:
Regular practice of mindfulness and meditation can enhance our ability to remain present and focused.
This practice helps in recognizing the onset of stress or anxiety and allows for a more attuned response to the body's needs.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR):
PMR involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups.
This technique can release muscle tension, which can result from long hours of riding, and to prevent the feeling of shakiness.
Visualization:
Visualizing successful rides and/or races can boost confidence and reduce performance anxiety.
By mentally rehearsing a ride, we can prepare our nervous system for the event, making our body feel more grounded and prepared.
Routine and Structure:
Building tasks into your routine that promote a grounded presence.
Set boundaries with past routines and people who lead you away from this practice.
Build the Muscle of Perspective
You are here for your growth and enjoyment.
Other’s can take the event super seriously. Forge a different path.
The priorities of others do not concern your growth practices.
In Summary
There are many performance advantages to centering the nervous systems sense of safety.
Many of these suggestions are micro-adjustments which are straight forward and easily placed on a race-day itinerary.
And you get to choose, like a diet, what beliefs, cultures and strategies you partake in, and which you do not.
If you are needing to address anxiety on or off the bike, please reach out to me here: ryan@cyclesoflifecounseling.com
I’m happy to discuss how I can help you release from the experiences of fear and anticipation.