Event Day Intentions: How to Stay Grounded When It Counts
Performance pressure doesn’t have to derail your purpose.
Race day. Event day. The Big Ride.
Whatever you call it, these days carry weight. The air feels charged. You’ve trained, tapered, checked your gear twice… and yet, the real wild card is often your mindset. Even the most seasoned athletes can find themselves second-guessing, overthinking, or getting swept up in the chaos of other people’s energy. It’s not always about fitness. It’s often about focus.
That’s where intention comes in.
Set the Tone: You’re Building Toward a Crescendo
I don’t call it a peak—and that’s on purpose. “Peak” implies a drop-off. A top that can only go down from there. It suggests you're aiming for one perfect moment and that anything beyond it is a decline.
Instead, I call it a crescendo: A steady, intentional build of intensity, confidence, and clarity that carries into the event… not ending there, but evolving through it. It removes the pressure to be perfect. It reminds you that this moment was earned gradually. You didn’t luck into this day. You built it.
Pre-Race Check-In: Tune into What You Really Need
Before you clip in or toe the line, take a moment to ask:
What do I want from today?
What kind of effort will help me learn, grow, or feel proud?
What part of the course plays to my strengths?
What part will test me—and how do I want to respond?
Your answer doesn't have to be heroic. It just has to be honest.
When to Use Openers—and When to Skip Them
The day before a race, athletes often ask, “Should I do openers?”
Short answer: It depends.
Openers can help your body and nervous system feel primed… but they also draw from the same energy reserves you need on race day. One of the gauges I use with athletes is this: Do you tend to feel better doing intervals after a rest day, or after an endurance day? Sometimes, after a light weekend and a rest day Monday, it takes a shakeout endurance ride on Tuesday to feel ready for Wednesday’s interval session. Others are sharp and ready to go on Tuesday with no need for a primer. Each of these scenarios gives valuable insight into how your system responds—and how to set yourself up for a successful race day.
✅ Openers may be helpful if:
You respond well to short, high-intensity efforts and feel flat without them
You’re well-rested and not carrying any lingering fatigue
You need a mental tune-up to feel sharp and confident
You just need a short spin to move some blood and calm pre-race nerves
🚫 You might skip or soften openers if:
You’re already tired or under-recovered from your training block
Your legs feel heavy from the taper (this is common—and not a red flag)
You tend to overdo openers and leave your best effort the day before the race
You’re overwhelmed by life stress or travel and need recovery more than routine
There’s no universal rule here. One athlete’s “activation” is another’s unnecessary depletion.
I once did an openers ride with a friend before my first gravel race.
For them, it was an easy spin—something they could recover from overnight and still race strong the next day.
For me, it was more than my normal ride. I got caught up in their rhythm and ended up tapping into reserves I needed for race day.
It wasn’t a mistake in discipline. It was a mistake in honoring my own system. So trust yourself. Be honest about what supports you, not just what sounds good on paper.
Not Racing for the Podium? You Still Have a Purpose
If you’re not at the front of the race—great. Most people aren’t. But that doesn’t mean your race is meaningless. It just means your intention needs to be well defined.
As a coach, I love it when an athlete says:
“I rode off the front for 10 minutes just to see what I had.”
-or-
“I stayed steady until that final climb, then emptied the tank.”
These types of efforts give structure to your race—and give your coach meaningful feedback. We’re not just looking at results. We’re looking for honest, intentional input.
Set a race-day micro-goal:
Ride strong for 20 minutes and then settle in
Push a few hills and see who comes with you
Stay mentally calm during a mechanical or rough patch
Practice mid-race fueling and recovery pace
That’s training through racing—not just racing as an outcome.
At the Pointy End? Own It Without Apology
Let’s be clear—there’s nothing wrong with racing hard. If you’re chasing a podium, pushing limits, or experimenting with tactics—that’s not a betrayal of intention. That can be your intention.
Racing hard doesn’t have to mean burning out or tying your self-worth to the results. It can simply mean:
“I’ve trained for this. I want to see what I’m capable of.”
If you're at the front of the field, it’s okay to:
Make a bold move early
Sit in and wait to counter
Ride aggressively, and still be proud even if it doesn’t work out
Intentional intensity is still intentional. It’s not about proving something. It’s about showing up on purpose, with purpose. Those efforts belong in STAC too. Sustainable doesn’t mean soft—it means resilient, thoughtful, and repeatable.
What About Nerves—and Heavy Legs?
Feeling nervous? Good. That means it matters to you… But it doesn’t mean you’re not ready.
And here’s the truth: Tired legs on the start line don’t always mean a bad ride. Sometimes, they just mean you’re still absorbing your taper, or that the energy hasn’t surfaced yet. Some of the best performances I’ve seen came from athletes who felt off at the start—but trusted the process, stuck to the plan, and found rhythm when it counted.
You don’t need to feel perfect to perform well. You just need to feel present.
Final Thought: You Built This. Now Own It.
This is why I built the STAC (Sustainable Training & Adaptability Cycle) framework. To help athletes train, race, and recover with intention.
Not every race will feel amazing. Not every event will reflect your fitness perfectly. But every ride or run can reflect your values… if you take a moment to define them before you start.
Whether your goal is a podium, a long adventure, or just finishing with joy—the power comes from showing up with clarity.
So before your next event, ask yourself:
What do I want from this ride?
What will make me proud when I look back?
Then go pursue that—and nothing more.
