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THROWING UP AT RACES
Running XC
Dear Coach Ed,I am an 11 year-old girl who is running cross-country on a middle school team. I can run an 8 minute mile. Sometimes when I push myself really hard during a race, I feel as though I am going to throw up. I really need to breathe and concentrate very hard so that I do not throw up. This slows my pace a lot!! Why is it happening and what can I do to prevent it from happening? Makenzie Dear Makenzie, Congratulations on running cross-country for your school. An 8 minute/mile pace is great. Your problem of feeling like you are going to vomit is very common for someone your age. Your head is telling you, you can go faster but your body has not been conditioned adequately for the demands you are putting on it. Usually as your conditioning improves, that 'throwing up feeling' will go away. Here are some tips that might help: 1. Don't eat anything 3 hours before a race. 2. Don't drink anything but water 3 hours before a race. 3. Stay calm before the race. 4. Talk and joke around with your teammates. 5. Once you are on the starting line then you can focus on the race. 6. Try to run relaxed. 7. Think about keeping your shoulders loose and flexible. 8. Do not tighten up. 9. Your breathing will naturally get better as your conditioning gets better. You should not have to concentrate so hard on it. 10. Efficient proper breathing technique can be learned through Yoga. Just one or two classes will help. As part of my youth track team's training we have two sessions of Yoga. Yoga training will help you relax before a race also. The United States Olympic Committee recommends Yoga training for track athletes. Good luck Makenzie! Remember, stay calm before the race. run relaxed, and most important HAVE FUN. Coach Ed
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Ed Poirier, "Coach Ed", recently was invited by the United States Olympic
committee to attend a workshop and training seminar at the Olympic training
center in California. At this workshop, this very subject was discussed. 