How To Manage Race Anxiety

September 6, 2012 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

You’ve been training hard.

You’ve been getting up early on mornings you’d rather sleep.

You put on your runners and force yourself out the door.

You’ve been stretching and making sure you are balancing workouts with rest.

You watch what kind of fuel you put into your body and drink lots of water.

You focused on core strength and added cross training into your routine.

You’ve been speed training and extending your distance.

YOU HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE YOUR FITNESS GOAL.

With all this work, it’s very unsettling to have days of stress and anxiety where you feel like you’re never going to make it.

I understand race anxiety. I experienced it for both the 40k I ran on my 40th birthday and my full marathon on my 42nd birthday. I had moments where I did not think I was physically ready. I doubted my ability to run that far…I doubted whether I’d done enough training…I simply became consumed with DOUBTS, FEARS, and NEGATIVE THINKING. Ultimately it serves no purpose other than creating chaos and sabotaging your hard work.

Being mindful of your thoughts is crucial in achieving your goals.

This means filling your mind with POSITIVE, GOAL ACHIEVING THOUGHTS.

It’s about visualizing the end result.

Your brain has much more POWER and control over your fitness goal than you may realize…you need to train your brain.

This is what worked for me:

  • Write down exactly how you want to feel the day of the event.
  • Write down how you want your body to respond to the distance you are running. (This is where I insert my motto: I feel good. I feel strong.)
  • Write down what kind of weather you’d like to have.
  • How you feel as people are cheering for you.
  • Write down what they’ll say!
  • Write down how you’ll feel when you cross that finish line, ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL!!
  • Write down all the POSITIVE, NURTURING, INSPIRING and MOTIVATING things you can possibly think that you want to experience on the actual race day. If you need to feel calm, write that down. If you need to feel strong, focused and determined, write that down.

FILL YOUR BRAIN WITH WHAT YOU WANT, NOT WHAT YOU DON’T WANT (Positive in, negative out)

THIS IS YOUR GOAL.

YOU HAVE CONTROL OF WHAT THOUGHTS ARE IN YOUR HEAD.

I believe you can achieve whatever you think you can.

Train hard + positive thoughts = achieving your goal

With a smile,

Tina

 

 

Jog4Joy presented by Wells Fargo – Supporting Mental and Emotional Wellness

August 28, 2012 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

Today is the beginning of a very important relationship.

I AM THRILLED AND HONOURED TO ANNOUNCE WELLS FARGO AS TITLE SPONSOR FOR JOG4JOY!

Jog4Joy presented by Wells Fargo, along with our partner The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation recognize that mental and emotional wellness MUST be a PRIORITY. Our families are affected. Our friends are affected. Our community is affected.

Jog4Joy appreciates how much Wells Fargo cares about their communities:

In 2011, Wells Fargo invested 213.5 million dollars in 19,000 non profits surpassing 200 million for the fourth consecutive year. For the third year in a row, United Way Worldwide has named Wells Fargo’s annual Community Support and Annual Campaign the No. 1 Giving Campaign. Wells Fargo’s success comes from a time tested formula: LOCAL people making local decisions because they know what their communities need.

I met with Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Western Canada, John Davis, here in Vancouver and we discussed the importance of MENTAL and EMOTIONAL WELLNESS. We talked about how mental illness affects QUALITY OF LIFE, FAMILIES and our COMMUNITY as a whole.

If you have read my blog before, you know that I speak from the heart. Although, Wells Fargo is the largest bank in the Western world I can honestly say, they also have a big heart. When I met with John Davis he is not just a ‘suit’…he is a kind man…approachable, genuine and authentic and he understands how important this issue is in our community, province and country.

Jog4Joy also resonated with the Wells Fargo vision and values:

HONESTY, TRUST and INTEGRITY are essential for meeting the highest standards of corporate governance…corporations don’t have a conscience. People do. Our ethics are the sum of all the decisions each of us makes every day. If you want to find out how strong a company’s ethics are, don’t listen to what its people say. Watch what they do.

I also love their ‘signature’:

Together, we’ll go far.

Yes! Collectively we can make a difference! That includes you, me, Wells Fargo, The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation and anyone else who wants to step up and help us create change.

Did you know that according to an article from the World Federation for Mental Health, DEPRESSION will be the second leading cause of world disability in 2020 with it reaching the number one cause of global disabilities by 2030?

Those statistics are alarming so what can YOU do to HELP?

GET INVOLVED!

BE A VOICE!

  • If one of your friends or family members struggles, show your support by walking / running for them. Show them you care by being part of this amazing community event to EMPOWER, INSPIRE and SUPPORT.

BELIEVE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

  • BELIEVE in the POWER of COLLECTIVE POSITIVE ENERGY, LOVE and SUPPORT…people helping people…a community coming together.

Thank you Wells Fargo for joining Jog4Joy and The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation by being a voice for mental and emotional wellness.

Thank you for recognizing that mental and emotional wellness is crucial to a thriving community.

Thank you for supporting, empowering and BELIEVING in JOG4JOY! We are thrilled to walk this journey with you.

BE A PART OF THE CHANGE – REGISTER TODAY!

From my heart to yours, thank you!

With a smile,

Tina

 

No Training, No Run Club, No Clue!

August 16, 2012 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

I started jogging because I wanted to do something different in my life. When I decided to run 40 kilometers on my 40th birthday I had NO IDEA how far that was, or really what kind of commitment it would take. I made THE DECISION naively and then I honoured the commitment to mySELF, moving forward, one small step at a time.

I had NO TRAINING, NO RUN CLUB, NO ONE TO RUN WITH, and in the beginning NO PROPER RUNNING GEAR.

I literally had NOTHING but my sheer DETERMINATION to honour a PROMISE I made to mySELF so that I could live a better life.

By trial and error, I figured things out and then something wonderful began to happen. This MIRACLE did not happen overnight, it took time but when I documented it, I realized that things were starting to shift…

I discovered:

  • Jogging lifted my depression.
  • Jogging helped me manage anxiety, anger, sadness and stress.
  • Jogging gave me SELF ESTEEM and continues to build my CONFIDENCE.
  • Jogging made me emotionally stronger.
  • Jogging helped me tap into my INSTINCT.
  • Jogging gave me JOY! (For someone who HATED exercise, this was a miracle to me!)

Jogging became my counsellor, friend, confidante, and punching bag. It became my outlet for all other things in my life; a way to cope with my past pain, present stress and fears of the future.

Jogging was the vehicle I needed to create the necessary shift in my life to get out of the negative patterns and toxic relationships. It raised me up, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY and EMOTIONALLY and I will forever be GRATEFUL for the day I decided to run.

If you can’t jog, find something that resonates with you. It’s about honouring a goal to yourSELF, engaging in physical activity, having a cardio workout that gets your blood pumping and enJOYing the happy endorphins that kick in.

It will be the best thing you do in your life, for your life.

It gives you a reason to CELEBRATE your ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

I JOG FOR MY MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS.

I JOG4JOY!

It’s going to be another beautiful weekend, so get out there and start walking, cycling, hiking, jogging, or swimming!

See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. Don’t forget to REGISTER for JOG4JOY – A JOYFUL EVENT FOR A SERIOUS ISSUE. It’s a simple 5k walk/run to raise awareness for mental and emotional wellness, in partnership with The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation, an AMAZING organization focusing on depression and depression related illnesses in YOUTH.

Rest Your Body; Exercise Your Mind

July 26, 2012 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

Are you struggling with an injury? I know exactly how that feels; it’s challenging on your emotions and energy. When you have goals and expectations of yourself, it’s not fun having to rest, ice and stretch when you really want to walk, run or hike.

What do I suggest?

Rest your body; exercise your mind.

Your mind has incredible POWER so it’s important to watch what you are THINKING. If you spend too long feeling sorry for yourself or thinking like a victim, it will wreak havoc on completing your goal.

REST YOUR BODY; EXERCISE YOUR MIND.

How do you do that?

Here are three ways to keep fit in your thoughts and attitude:

1. Create a vision board. You want to visually see everything you desire regarding your goal. Have images of happy, healthy people crossing finish lines, strong athletes and of course that finisher medal. If you have a specific time you are aiming for, put that on the board as well. If you need support, put images of supportive faces, cheer leaders or someone you admire and want to emulate.

2. Purchase a journal. Write regularly about what kind of experience you want to have on the day of your race/event. Again, you want this to be in full detail. Explain how you are feeling (strong, happy, proud of yourself, grateful, healthy etc), the weather, the great accomplishment when crossing the finish line, celebrating your joy, hard work and dedication. This is an extremely powerful tool.

3. Feed yourself with positivity. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Read positive literature, magazine articles, web information, books, novels, success stories etc. Think in terms of, “Is this helping me or is this harming me?” regarding your thoughts and the energy you are around. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING.

I used these three tools to help me cross the finish line both with my 40by40 (40k on my 40th birthday) and my marathon last October. I can tell you with absolute certainty that it works. You are creating a strong foundation of BELIEF in yourself, your abilities, your body and your mind.

REST YOUR BODY; EXERCISE YOUR MIND.

Listen to your doctor, coach, physiotherapist, chiropractor or massage therapist. Listen to the professionals and rest, ice and stretch if that is what is recommended but don’t let your mind wander to negativity.

REST YOUR BODY; EXERCISE YOUR MIND.

I love the summer, so I hope you are enjoying the beautiful sunshine, blue skies and time with family and friends. See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. My book “The Decision” covers all of this is great detail. Click HERE for more information.

 

S-T-R-E-T-C-H

July 19, 2012 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

This week I went to my amazing chiropractor, Benita, at Ocean Wellness, and she gave me a little (gentle) talking to…

My left hip and lower back have given me a lot of pain over the last month and a half. I can manage this pain but brace yourself, here comes my excuse for not monitoring it properly…

…I’ve been extremely busy with some projects I am passionate about, and if I’m completely honest with you my regular routine hasn’t been a priority.

Jogging injuries are like life lessons. Initially you get a gentle whisper in the ear, then a small tap on the shoulder and if you really don’t listen, it’s the brick to the head. You get all the warnings, it’s a question of whether you are listening or ignoring the signs.

Right now my injury is at the “tap on the shoulder” stage and Benita helped me realize I better start paying attention or I will end up with the brick to the head sooner than later.

So what do I need to do?

I NEED TO STRETCH.

If I have one fault with running, it’s not spending the time to stretch. I stretch a little before (enough to warm my muscles but not enough to pull them) and I definitely stretch afterwards…what I’m negligent at is stretching in between my run days.

This is my dog…SHE STRETCHES EVERY DAY. In the morning when she wakes up, she stretches. When she’s been sitting on the couch or on the floor for a little while, she’ll get up and stretch. It’s natural for her to stretch every day, as it should be for us.

If you are running, cycling or any other form of exercise, don’t underestimate the value of stretching. Taking a yoga class in between workout days is an excellent choice but if you aren’t able to get to a yoga class, make sure you still spend some time each day to stretch…

S – T – R – E – T – C – H

Your body will thank you for it and it will help you avoid injury. Trust me, I say this to myself when I say it to you.

I hope you get outside this weekend. Summer is the time to enjoy some fresh air, amazing fresh fruits and vegetables and time with family and friends.

See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

 

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