As the weeks before a race draw to a close, my mind begins to whirl with crazy ideas. The “what if’s…” so to speak.
What if I don’t make it to the start line on time?
What if my alarm doesn’t go off? (I usually set alarms on two different devices because I’m SO paranoid about it!)
What if my knee acts crazy?
What if I forget something at home?
The list of “what if’s” is endless and most of them aren’t in my physical control. I do tend to have a bit of race anxiety, so I have to constantly ask myself…why worry about something you can’t fix?
In my case, when I wake up in the morning and attempt to fall back asleep, I have crazy, insane, off the wall dreams. Add that with race anxiety and I’m sure you can imagine what happens!
Sunday morning was one such moment…and it was vivid so I remember details!
I was running the Wine & Dine Half Marathon and approaching the finish line….excited because I ran the Inaugural Wine & Dine and couldn’t wait to add the 5th Anniversary medal to my collection. After crossing the finish line, runners were ushered into an area marked off with a giant tent – it was as if black tarps had been put up on poles to contain the medal area. I was given a sheet of paper with after party instructions and told to continue on my way. As I reached the exit area of the tents, I realized I never received a medal. I turned around to tell the nearest person I saw (who also happened to be a runDisney Cast Member) what happened. That’s when the oddest thing happened – he didn’t believe me!! He told me that NO one gets through the medal area without receiving a medal. I even attempted to re-demonstrate what happened (I was reading the paper they gave me, looking down, and not paying attention) and he still wouldn’t listen to me. I continued arguing with him and before I knew it, he and the entire runDisney crew were at my house in Louisiana so I could prove myself. There were about four or five 18 passenger vans in my driveway. (What. The. Heck.)
I continued trying to demonstrate my point and still didn’t get anywhere with him. After going back and forth for a while, he decided to look my finish time up online. That’s when we discovered my finish time wasn’t even recorded! It looked as if I never finished the race!! He left my house disgusted with me. As they were getting in their car to leave, I pulled up video footage of the finish line and ran outside with my laptop to prove I did complete the race. Still, he wouldn’t listen to me. As they drove off, he finally yelled out the window that he didn’t believe me because he knew I already received a medal was trying to get a second one to sell on eBay.
I came back inside the house incredibly frustrated and mystified, then I woke up to the sound Madalynn whining for her breakfast.
Needless to say, I woke up and sighed...“whew…it wasn’t real”. My next thought was “what in the world….???”
On a funnier…lighter note, I also had a dream back around Christmas time. I don’t remember all the crazy details, but it was a vivid dream as well!
I was out eating at an unfamiliar restaurant and I ran into Lance Bass. Now, if you know me…you know I’m a huge NSYNC fan…..specifically, Lance Bass was my favorite. Absolute favorite. We talked for a while like old friends (riiiight) and before long, a friend of his walked over. Lance began to introduce me to his friend…who happened to be Joey Fatone! I laughed and told Lance that Joey and I already met in Disneyland (as if he actually remembered me). Of course, Joey said “Oh yeah! You were the Mousketeer!” We started to chat and I asked if Joey had any other runDisney events on his list. His response, “Oh yea! Definitely! I’ll always be at every runDisney event, they are the best!” I left the restaurant with a light and happy heart, knowing Joey would be involved with other runDisney events in the future!
When I woke up, I realized it was only a dream and thought, “Sad times…he won’t be at Princess!” Ha!
I also once witnessed (in real life, this wasn’t a dream) two different people frantically running around the TTC trying to get to the start of the Half Marathon. It was after 5:30 a.m. (runners hadn’t made it through the TTC just yet). I felt so awful for the two and wondered if they were allowed to start the race. I always feared that would happen to me and have had several dreams about not making it to the start line on time.
How about you? What crazy dreams plague you when race anxiety begins to kick in?
I get SO anxious leading up to races and really just put too much pressure on my self. I worry too much about how other people are going to interpret my race, what my parents, coaches and teammates are going to think. This usually causes me too much stress, I often get sick and then have a bad race. I am learning but 2014 for me is all about learning to race for fun and for ME!
ReplyDeleteThat's it...I do the same! Too much pressure on myself!
DeleteThis is hilarious! I haven't had too many race-related dreams but my anxiety definitely kicks in at times.
ReplyDeleteCrazy, right?! I know what you mean about the anxiety...it can get the best of me sometimes!
DeleteI had a weird dream about a month before my first half, and they had changed the course. It wasn't an anxiety dream but I obviously had the race on my mind.
ReplyDeleteThat is a strange dream! It's funny the tricks our minds play on us!
DeleteLol!!! I'm so glad that medal dream wasn't true! I don't think Disney would give you a hard time like that. They'd give you another medal I'm sure of it! I haven't had many race dreams. But like you I always worry about my alarm not going off!
ReplyDeleteI don't think so, either...it was just crazy! The alarm thing is a definite worry...what happens if I accidentally hit snooze?!
DeleteI literally LOL at your first dream, so crazy! I haven't had any race related dreams, yet! Last year during the WDW marathon, I was riding the monorail to the MK so I could watch my sister run down Main street and the monorail stopped at the Contemporary before it dropped us off. While at the Contemporary a group of runners got on. Another passenger asked why they were leaving so late and mentioned that they hoped they weren't in corral A. The Runner's said that they always wait till the last possible minute and that they WERE in corral A. (My sister was in corral A and I waited with her until the announcers called them to get in their corrals and then I left for the monorail) so I already knew her corral was ready to go. I can't understand how people can wait till the last minute like that. It would completely stress me out. How about you?
ReplyDeleteOh my GOSH that would freak me out! No, I definitely don't wait until the last possible second...the walk to the corrals is SO long...my OCD self would be freaking out! Haha!
DeleteI just become the biggest worrier ever during taper.
ReplyDeleteUgh yes...taper...I looked at my schedule for the week and almost freaked. RnR NOLA is SO soon!!
DeleteIf it's a race where I'm meeting other people, I have dreams about over sleeping and missing a race start. Clearly I have anxiety about being late and/or letting people down.
ReplyDeleteSame here, I know what you mean!
DeleteI never really notice crazy race dreams, but I always seem to get anxious about the race...especially if the weather is a factor, like if it's too hot. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteUgh heat...yes I agree, I can't stand that either!
DeleteI never have race anxiety... I usually get the most anxious when I'm waiting to take off for a race... I hate waiting in the corrals.. That is the worse part for me!
ReplyDeleteWaiting, yes that's a biggie for me, too! I was in tears during last year's WDW Marathon because I could feel my knee bothering me and we hadn't even started running yet...of course it was all in my head!
DeleteIt's been awhile since I've had a big race. I do have weird dreams when I'm anxious about something, but I tend not to remember all the details about them like you do!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I don't remember details for long and sometimes I do...so strange!
DeleteCrazy dreams! My anxiety is usually when I'm awake though.
ReplyDeleteIt will all be ok for Princess! We're going to have a blast!
I know we will, cannot wait! :D
DeleteToo funny!! Thanks goodness it was just a dream though :0) I have had a couple of race anxiety dreams... missing the start line, and randomly waking up with a horrible injury I couldn't run on (that was the worst!).
ReplyDeleteYou'll do great at both your races coming up!!
Thanks so much, Lauren! Missing the start line dreams...they are some of the worst!
DeleteYES! This is me. I'm always having anxiety about all this kind of stuff, and it often manifests itself in wacky dreams. I'll raise you setting two alarms and tell you that I usually set at least three -- one "real" alarm clock, my phone, and then the phones of my boyfriend or sister or whomever is sleeping in the room with me before a race, haha.
ReplyDeleteHaven't resorted to the room alarm clock yet! That's a good idea though!! :D
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