It felt like everything went wrong in that race, despite all my preparation and effort. Even with a perfect training cycle, race day didn’t reflect the fitness I knew I had.
Everyone has those days when things don’t go right, and sometimes, they hit on race day after months of hard training, countless early morning workouts hitting paces and tempo targets, and long runs that took me away from friends and family.
I’ve been there. Many times. I see you and I hear you.
I put in the work, only to realize on race day that I didn’t have it. A mix of factors could’ve played a role—weather, nutrition, stress, lack of sleep, or just not feeling it. As a runner, I invested so much time and energy into training, and when things didn’t go as planned, it hit hard. After giving everything, it felt devastating when the results didn’t follow.
What tools do we have to move past these crushing feelings? Here’s how I handled those tough times when I didn’t perform as I hoped:
- Grieved it.
I allowed myself to feel the frustration, anger, and disappointment. I’d worked hard, and missing my goal stung. I didn’t push it away. I vented, cried, or got it out however I needed. I also wrote down my thoughts, journaled about the race, and reflected on what worked and what didn’t. Taking time to process the experience helped me move forward. - Found the bright side.
I reminded myself that I ran a race, no matter the outcome. I put in the work, got stronger, and showed up. Even if the race didn’t go as planned, making it to the start line felt like an accomplishment in itself. Finishing the race—regardless of the time—deserved kudos. After all, many people never even try. - Took a break.
I stepped away from running for a bit. Letting my body and mind recover made a difference. I biked, walked, swam, or practiced yoga. A mental reset gave me time to reflect and helped me reconnect with my passion for running. - Kept perspective.
I reminded myself that I was doing something most people never even attempt. It’s easy to compare myself to others in my running group or club, but I resisted. Most people didn’t put in the effort I did, so I focused on celebrating my dedication, no matter the outcome. - Set new goals.
I didn’t let a setback define me. I began thinking about the next challenge. It didn’t have to be the same race or distance—it could be something fresh that reignited my excitement and helped me break out of the funk. - Learned from it.
Running had plenty to teach me, but I had to stay open to those lessons. After reflecting, I thought about how I could improve next time. How could I train smarter? What changes could I make mentally and physically? I used every experience to become a better runner.
Final Thoughts
Running and racing brought their challenges, and things didn’t always go as planned. But even on the tough days, I found opportunities to learn and grow. I let myself feel the emotions but kept everything in perspective, always setting new goals to move forward. I knew I could handle whatever came next.
I hope these strategies help other runners when their races don’t go the way they know they should.
Let me know if this works for you! Write to me here or join my email group.