It’s natural to feel pre-race jitters in anticipation of any athletic event.  Being nervous is a necessary part of any pre-race routine. As a matter of fact, a natural level of nerves and apprehension will keep you focused and improve your chances of performing well during the race. The important thing is to not let these jitters keep you from participating in the race itself.

To help conquer the pre-race jitters and add a measure of calm to your active lifestyle, here are some suggestions to add to your pre-race routine:

Have confidence in your training – you’ve spent a lot of effort to get to this point, so be confident that your training will result in success.

Keep moving – you don’t want to sit or stand for too long immediately before any race. Make sure you are moving your arms and legs in simple motions in order to keep the blood flowing.

Focus on breathing – before the race take deep breaths to help calm your body and control your heart rate.

Arrive early for the race – the last thing you want to do is rush around right before the event, trying to cover last minute logistics, so arrive early and you'll have a less hectic experience.

Visualize – Prior to the event, visualize the layout of the course and how you expect to perform.

Have a race buddy - it helps to have someone with you prior to or during the race. Engaging in conversation prior to the race can have a calming effect and help take your mind off the big event. Having a friend with you during the race can help pace you and motivate you to push through the difficult parts.