Are You Ready for Your Race? Your Pre-Race Checklist for Success
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There’s something about preparing for a big event that brings clarity to how we should approach every aspect of our lives. As I packed my bags to head to Atlanta for the Running Man 2024 festival last year—a health and wellness event featuring the world’s largest sauna, cold plunge, and a marathon smack in the middle—I’m reminded of the importance of preparation. In races, business, or life, success starts long before the starting gun ever fires.
Why a Pre-Race Checklist Matters
In endurance sports, especially in triathlons where you have to swim, bike, and run, there’s one crucial part of preparation that makes or breaks your day: the pre-race checklist. You have to make sure you have everything—your gear, nutrition, proper shoes, and all the tools you’ll need for every leg of the event. You visualize the race ahead of time so you can anticipate obstacles, pack for different scenarios, and mentally prepare for any curveballs.
That mindset is just as vital in life. Whether you’re launching a business, gunning for a promotion, or starting a new personal goal, you need a pre-race checklist—a list of tools, skills, and strategies to ensure you’re ready for the journey ahead.
Inventory Check – What Do You Already Have?
If you’ve been following Shark Theory for a while, you know I’m big on understanding your tools. You already have more resources and abilities than you give yourself credit for. The problem is, most of us never stop to actually take inventory. What do you have in your arsenal right now that could help you succeed? What skills, contacts, or assets have you overlooked? And more importantly, what do you need to acquire?
The things you think you’re missing might actually be within arm’s reach—or just a phone call away. But you’ll never know if you don’t stop and assess your toolbox.
Plan, But Don’t Overplan
It’s important to note that your checklist doesn’t need to account for every single scenario under the sun. Overplanning is just another form of procrastination. If you sit on your couch trying to predict every possible problem, you’ll become an expert at finding reasons not to start. And trust me—if you spend all your time imagining disaster, you’ll get so good at it that you’ll never begin.
Keep your checklist simple. What’s the basic plan? What do you need? What’s your goal? Think of it like a business napkin plan—a good idea should fit on the front of a napkin. What are you trying to accomplish? What do you need to make it happen? How will you get there?
Accepting the Unknown
There will always be variables you can’t control. For me, this weekend’s race might get rained out. I could stress about packing umbrellas and ponchos, or I could just accept it. If it rains, I’ll get wet. So what? That’s the mindset shift we all need. There’s power in saying, “I’ll deal with it.”
You don’t need a backup plan for every contingency. You need confidence in your own ability to adapt. That flexibility—to face obstacles without folding—is what separates those who achieve their goals from those who quit at the first storm.
Control What You Can Control
Years ago, when my brother and I ran our first 50-mile trail race in freezing temperatures, we decided not to overthink it. We wore the same gear we would have worn in normal weather and just dealt with the cold. That mindset—that ability to lean into discomfort—made all the difference.
You can’t let outside factors like the weather, other people’s opinions, or unexpected challenges dictate whether or not you pursue your goals. Prepare for what you can control, and learn to accept what you can’t. Whether it’s discomfort, stress, or unforeseen obstacles, the answer is the same: Deal with it and keep moving forward.
Visualize Your Path
Preparation isn’t just physical—it’s mental. I always try to visualize every race I run, from the start line to crossing the finish. What gear am I wearing? What am I eating at mile 15? What’s the weather like? That level of visualization helps me anticipate challenges and feel mentally prepared before I even take a step.
You can apply that same visualization practice to anything you’re trying to accomplish. Picture your day-to-day life after you get that promotion. What’s your morning routine when you finally launch your business? How do you interact with your team once you become the leader? The clearer your vision, the easier it is to spot what you need to work on.
Line Up and Run the Race
At the end of the day, all the preparation in the world won’t matter if you never step up to the starting line. Visualizing is great. Planning is important. But execution is everything. When the time comes, you just have to run your race—no matter the weather, no matter the conditions, no matter what life throws your way.
Prepare well. Stay flexible. And most importantly, trust yourself to handle whatever comes your way.
**Looking to inspire your team, organization, or event? Book Baylor to speak and check his availability today. Dive deeper into success strategies with Baylor's mindset-driven books, or tune into the powerful 10-minute daily Shark Theory podcast for quick doses of motivation. Stay connected and sharpen your mindset every week by signing up for the Shark Bites newsletter. Remember, Mindset Matters: Let's make yours unstoppable.*