Marathon Nerves, Solved
Sport psychologists laid out four actionable ways to manage race‑day nerves — tactics that focus on the brain’s stress response to improve performance []. Practical race prep advice also recommends keeping a running journal (try the free Day One app) to track workouts, recovery and emotions for smarter training adjustments []. And on gear: new analysis argues comfort and fit beat carbon‑plate hype when choosing marathon shoes [].
Antonio Capassouk.style.yahoo.com, a registered sport and exercise psychologist who leads London’s Weekend Project, says race‑day nerves spring from amygdala activation that triggers the sympathetic nervous system and releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Practitioners advise cognitive reappraisal—explicitly reframing adrenaline as a performance resource—alongside short breathwork protocols like diaphragmatic or box breathing to down‑regulate the stress response. stories.strava.com Nick Harris‑Fry of Tom’s Guide reports using the Day One journal app for two years to paste Strava links, map runs and revisit training history as a confidence‑building tool during marathon blocks. tomsguide.com Jackson Ngari’s Business Daily Africa piece (March 14, 2026) cites 11‑time marathoner Emily Chepkor saying carbon‑plate access widened after regulatory shifts and that fit, comfort and how a shoe endures high‑mileage training often outweigh brand‑price signals. businessdailyafrica.com
