Race Week — Don’t Blow It Now
The work is done. You are built. More capable than you think. Now it’s about staying calm, trusting your training, and not wasting valuable energy before the gun even goes off.
So… it’s race week.
The work is done.
You are built.
More capable than you think.
And ready to roll.
You’re also one of the lucky ones — most people on this planet can’t do what you’re about to do… go out and run a long way under your own steam.
This piece isn’t about fitness anymore.
It’s about staying calm, trusting your training, and not wasting valuable energy before the gun even goes off.
A Very Common (and Very Human) Scenario
Let’s call them Person X.
Person X has just come off 12–16 weeks of solid work:
- Easy, controlled trots building the engine
- Technique tweaks — lighter feet, smoother stride
- Strength work — pre-run triggers + plenty of controlled hills
- Long runs — building durable legs and a tougher mind
- And yes… those boring as batsht* repeat track sessions
(Which, by the way, weren’t about fitness… they were about teaching you to sit in discomfort and not flinch. That matters later.)
If you’ve hit ~80% of a Pampy program — you’re ready.
Not “hope so” ready… properly ready.
I’ve seen it for 35 years.
Then Race Week Hits… and the Wheels Start Wobbling
Instead of thinking:
“I’m fit. I’m prepared. Let’s go.”
Person X goes:
- “Is that a cold coming on?”
- “My knee feels… different?”
- “Should I see a physio? Take anti-inflammatories? Both?”
Then it escalates:
- Writing exact split times on their wrist like it’s NASA launch code
- Googling new shoes and race belts that can carry 24 gels (mate… relax)
- Poor sleep because they’ve already run the race 6 times in their head
- Snapping at loved ones
- Checking their watch:
HR is up… HRV is down… recovery says rest…
Righto.
Let’s call it what it is.
It’s Not Your Body — It’s Your Brain
This is your CEO brain stepping in.
It’s not broken.
It’s doing its job.
It’s asking:
👉 “Are we safe here?”
👉 “Are we about to do something stupid?”
So it throws out doubt.
99.9% of the time?
It’s complete rubbish.
You are fine.
Actually… you’re perfectly primed.
The Real Risk (and This Is the Big One)
For endurance events, you want to arrive at the start line with a full battery. 100%.
What we don’t want… is you burning through that battery before the race even starts.
And guess what drains it?
- Worry
- Anxiety
- Overthinking
- Second guessing
That stuff isn’t free — it costs energy.
At the 70% mark?
👉 Nothing left.
That’s not fitness.
That’s pre-race management.
The Pampy Fix (Simple — Like It Should Be)
When the noise kicks in this week:
👉 Don’t fight it
👉 Don’t analyse it
👉 Don’t Google it
Just do this:
- 2 minutes
- Nasal breathing
- Box style (4–4–4–4)
- Slow it all down
Then move on with your day.
That’s it.
🏁 Final Word — Trust the System
You’ve done the work.
You’ve built the engine.
You’ve strengthened the chassis.
You’ve trained the mind.
Now your job is simple:
- Turn up calm
- Start controlled
- Build into the race
- Respect the distance
- Enjoy the experience
💥 Trust the system. It works.