Mastering Your Nerves: Turning Stress Into Strength
Whether you're just beginning your running journey or competing at an elite level, one truth remains constant: success in sport requires strong mental fitness. And one of the most important skills any athlete can learn is how to manage their nerves.
We’ve all felt it—those pre-race jitters. A fluttering in your chest, sweaty palms, shallow breathing, maybe even a touch of self-doubt. It’s completely normal to feel anxious before a big event. In fact, it’s hardwired into us.
Understanding the Stress Response
Anxiety is part of a primitive survival system designed to protect us. When we encounter a perceived threat, our brain sends a signal that releases stress hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine into the bloodstream. This sharpens our senses, quickens our heart rate, and prepares the body for what’s known as the “fight or flight” response.
Thousands of years ago, this reaction might have helped us escape a saber-toothed tiger. Today, the same physiological reaction can kick in at the start line of your local 10K. The key isn’t to eliminate this stress response—but to understand it and learn to work with it.
Is Stress Bad? Not Necessarily.
In her powerful TED Talk How to Make Stress Your Friend, health psychologist Dr. Kelly McGonigal challenges the common belief that stress is always harmful. She shares a striking study from the U.S. that followed 30,000 people over eight years. The results? People who experienced high levels of stress but believed it wasn’t harmful lived longer than those who believed stress was bad for their health.
In fact, researchers estimated that over 182,000 people died not from stress itself—but from the belief that stress was harmful. Let that sink in.
Reframe the Response
So how can runners use this to their advantage?
A Harvard University study trained participants to reinterpret their stress symptoms. A pounding heart wasn’t fear—it was the body gearing up for performance. Quickened breath wasn’t panic—it was a boost of oxygen for sharper thinking. Runners who adopted this mindset felt less anxious, more confident, and even showed physiological changes—their blood vessels stayed relaxed, more like a body experiencing excitement rather than anxiety.
Practical Tips to Reframe Stress on Race Day
Acknowledge it. Don’t try to “get rid” of nerves. Recognize them and remind yourself that this is your body getting ready to perform.
Reframe it. Tell yourself: “This energy means I care. My body is helping me prepare.”
Use breathing to anchor. Deep, slow breathing helps regulate your nervous system and keeps you centered.
Visualize success. Picture yourself handling the course, managing each mile with calm confidence.
Positive self-talk. Instead of “I’m so nervous,” try “I’m excited for the challenge” or “I’m ready for this.”
Remember: Your nerves aren’t the enemy. In fact, they might be your greatest untapped asset. By changing the way you think about stress, you can transform it from something that holds you back into something that powers you forward.
So next time you feel those butterflies before a race, welcome them. That’s your body telling you—you’re ready.
If you are interested in achieving your running potential or if you would like to learn more about my coaching service. Get in touch @ coach.run2thetop@gmail.com or complete the contact form
