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Walking does not mean you've failed. Walking does not make you less of a runner. Walking is simply another way of moving forward.
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You've done the training. Your race kit is laid out. You've checked the weather forecast approximately 47 times. But as race day approaches, your brain suddenly decides now is the perfect time to start asking questions.
What if I'm too slow? What if I need to walk? What if everyone overtakes me? What if I can't get up Heartbreak Hill? What if all my training falls apart on the day?
If any of those thoughts sound familiar – welcome to the club.
As the Head of the Coogee Run Club, I've stood on a lot of start lines. I've watched first-timers nervously check their watches, seasoned runners question their life decisions that have led them to this point, and friends reassure each other for the hundredth time that they're going to be just fine.
The truth is we all still get nervous and those race-day butterflies never fully disappear.
These days, though, I don't run from them. I lean into the feeling because nerves are just excitement in running shoes. They remind me that I'm about to challenge myself and that something special is going to happen.
And while that voice in your head can feel overwhelming, a little anxiety before an event can actually be a good thing, according to Emma Sanelli, a general psychologist, exercise scientist, and founder of Home Within Movement and Psychology.
"The important thing to remember is that anxiety in these contexts is good," she says. "It means you care and it means you have trained hard and want to do well.
"Plus, a bit of anxiety and nerves will actually help you perform!"
So if race day is approaching and self-doubt is starting to creep in, here are 12 things every nervous runner needs to hear before they cross the start line.
Pictured: Emma Sanelli
1. Nerves don't mean you're not ready
Lots of runners assume that feeling anxious before a race is a sign they're underprepared. In reality, it's often the opposite.
"There are a few things that can contribute to the pre-race anxiety you feel," Emma explains. "Firstly, co-regulation from the environment significantly impacts what your nervous system absorbs. The crowds, the noise, and the general excitement in the atmosphere – your brain absorbs all of this as information that something exciting is happening."
"This combined with your own personal nerves and expectations about your performance can make you feel anxious about how the event will come together," adds Emma.
What's actually happening is that your head is trying to look after you.
"If you invest heavily in preparation, you might fear that something will go wrong," says the psychologist. "We also see people worrying that the race will hurt, or that they're not prepared enough. These are all really normal thoughts; it's simply your brain trying to make sure you have all the information you need for a good race. We're programmed to seek small ways to control the environment or ensure things go well. It is protective."
In other words, if race day feels overwhelming, you're not doing anything wrong. You're just having a completely normal human response to an extraordinary environment.
"I think the presence of nerves means that you actually care and you're taking it seriously," says Evnike Ens, running coach for the Sydney Striders, one of the city's oldest run clubs.
"If you aren't feeling nervous, your head's not really in the game. So use it to your advantage."
2. Most runners are carrying the exact same fears
One of the funny things about race morning is that everyone assumes they're the only nervous person there, when in reality, thousands of other runners are quietly having the exact same thoughts.
According to Evnike, some of the most common race-day nerves include "phantom injuries, obsession about little niggles, and negative self-talk."
Then there are the physical symptoms.
"There's the usual bodily effects when it comes to nerves like needing to go to the toilet a lot!" she explains. "All of these are very normal and it's important to remember that most other people are going through these too."
So the next time you're standing in a start corral convinced everyone else has it together, remember: many of them are probably feeling exactly the same way.
3. When nerves hit, focus on what you can control
While you have no say over the weather, the crowds or how other runners perform, you can control your response.
Emma recommends focusing on your breathing.
"The best way to centre yourself before a race is to recognise and support the information your nervous system is receiving," she says. "This is where strategies like deep regulated breathing come in, with a strong focus on the exhale."
She also recommends releasing physical tension.
"Activities like jumping up and down or shaking out your arms and legs can help process some of that adrenaline and signal to your body that you control how you feel."
Pair that with positive self-talk.
"Remind yourself that you have done the work and you deserve to have a good run and to enjoy yourself," Emma says. "Even consciously telling yourself, ‘You are relaxed', can have a really big impact on how you feel."
4. Learn to embrace the crowds
A busy start line can feel intimidating, especially when 90,000 runners are packed into the same space like at Sydney's City2Surf. But according to Emma, the crowds can actually work in your favour.
"The biggest risk in a race is going out too fast and paying for it at the end, so use the crowds to your advantage to keep your pace even."
Rather than stressing about the congestion, take in the atmosphere. You're standing shoulder-to-shoulder with tens of thousands of people about to tackle one of Australia's most iconic fun runs. Chat to the person beside you who's probably feeling just as nervous and enjoy being part of something bigger than yourself.
5. Nerves can make you run faster
Pre-race nerves aren't just normal – they can actually help rather than hinder your run, according to Emma.
"A bit of stress, adrenaline and nerves actually supports your performance and ability to do well," the exercise scientist says.
So instead of viewing nerves as a sign that something is wrong, Emma encourages runners to pay attention to how they respond to those feelings.
"If you feel negative or critical about it, focus instead on acknowledging it with, ‘Nerves are good. I deserve to enjoy this race' and keep coming back to the why."
A racing heart doesn't always mean panic. Sometimes it just means you're ready.
6. There is no such thing as "too slow"
This is perhaps the biggest fear among first-time fun-run runners who get to the start line and assume everyone around them is fitter, faster and more experienced than them.
But Emma believes comparison is one of the quickest ways to rob yourself of the experience.
"Sometimes as you get pulled into the numbers or perhaps compare yourself to others, you lose a bit of touch with why you signed up for the event and started running in the first place," she says.
If this happens, the psychologist recommends runners reconnect with their original reason for registering.
"Many people sign up for these events for the personal challenge or simply to have fun and try something new," Emma says,
"And there is no such thing as too slow if you are showing up and putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying yourself."
That's especially worth remembering at City2Surf, where the field includes everyone from elite athletes chasing records to entire families simply hoping to reach Bondi Beach.
7. Everyone is running their own race
The fear of being overtaken often sits right alongside the fear of being too slow.
But here's the reality: most runners are far too busy worrying about their own race to judge yours.
"Getting caught up in someone else's race is a sure fire way of being exhausted at the end!" says Evnike.
Maybe the runner flying past you is using a completely different race plan. Maybe they'll be walking in five kilometres. You simply don't know.
What you do know is that your race belongs to you.
8. Walking is completely normal
Let's settle this once and for all.
Walking does not mean you've failed. Walking does not make you less of a runner. Walking is simply another way of moving forward.
In fact, for many runners, it's part of the plan.
"Enjoying a bit of a walk, especially on City2Surf's famous Heartbreak Hill, might be exactly what is needed to ensure the run stays enjoyable," Emma says.
Evnike couldn't agree more.
"If walking is going to help you get to the finish line, then that's okay!" she says. "Try to walk-run-walk if you can or save yourself on the up and enjoy running downhill."
And for anyone worried they'll be the only one doing it?
"I guarantee you won't be the only one walking on Heartbreak Hill," Evnike insists.
9. The thing you're worried about is probably worse in your mind
Before Coogee Run Club runner Christine Spilling took on City2Surf for the first time last year, there was one part of the course she couldn't stop thinking about.
"Heartbreak Hill, without a doubt," she says. "Everyone talked about how brutal it was."
Christine had arrived from Norway just four days earlier, was battling jet lag and staring down a rainy forecast.
But when the now 44-year-old finally reached the infamous two-kilometre climb, her experience was very different to what she'd imagined.
"I'd built up Heartbreak Hill so much in my head, but the atmosphere completely transformed it," Christine explains. "The crowd was electric and the views along parts of the course were genuinely stunning. It was still hard, but in a way that felt exciting rather than defeating."
It's a reminder that our fears often fill in the blanks before race day arrives.
Pictured: Christine Spilling
10. Stop thinking about the whole race
One of the fastest ways to feel overwhelmed is to focus on the entire distance ahead.
Instead, make the race smaller.
Christine used this approach throughout her first City2Surf.
"My strategy is to break the distance into smaller chunks so it never feels overwhelming," she explains. "One small segment at a time."
One kilometre. One aid station. One hill. One corner. One landmark.
Then you're at the finish line.
11. Focus on the present
When we're nervous, it's easy to become obsessed with performance. Pace. Time. Splits. Position.
But Emma says constantly focusing on how you're going can cause you to miss the experience entirely.
"When you focus only on performance, you can become critical, comparative, and hyper focused on the things ‘going badly'," she explains.
"Prompting your mind to be present during the race – focusing on what you're doing and where you are – is an opportunity to appreciate your surroundings and yourself.
"It's incredible that your body can move and do what you are asking it to do, and it's incredible that you're surrounded by thousands of people all working for themselves or for a greater cause.
"It won't be possible to acknowledge the whole run, but giving yourself moments to acknowledge it will make a big difference to your overall enjoyment!"
Christine experienced exactly that when she reached the City2Surf start line in 2025.
"Dark clouds were gathering overhead, but the energy in the crowd was electric," the Coogee Run Club member says. "Everyone was buzzing, ready to run and soak up the experience, and once you're surrounded by that energy, it carries you forward."
It's something I hear all the time after City2Surf. People rarely talk about their time or splits. Instead they speak about the live music on course, the crowds, the costumes, the harbour views and the feeling of turning towards Bondi beach knowing they're about to finish.
Long after your result is posted on the internet, what you will remember is the atmosphere.
12. Believe in yourself from the start
Confidence isn't something that magically appears on race day – it's something you choose to bring with you to the start line.
For Christine, self-belief has always been a non-negotiable part of her approach to running.
"Honestly, that mindset was there from the start," she says. "I don't wait for a moment of doubt to pass. I go in believing I can do it."
While it's normal to feel nervous before a big race, Christine encourages runners to trust in the training they've already done. Rather than focusing on everything that could go wrong, remind yourself of the kilometres, early mornings and hard sessions that got you here.
And if your confidence wavers, lean on the energy of those around you.
"Know that it's going to be hard, but you're not the only one out there giving this a good crack," says Evnike. "Draw on the people around you too."
The bottom line
The goal isn't to eliminate race-day nerves. The goal is to understand that they don't get the final say. Because more often than not, butterflies simply mean you're about to do something that matters to you.
As Christine puts it: "The nerves are normal, but they won't tell you the full story of what race day actually feels like."
So next time you're standing on a start line wondering whether you're ready, remember this: everyone around you is carrying a little bit of doubt and a lot of hope.
You don't need a perfect race. You don't need to run every step. You don't need to be the fastest person there.
You only need to take the first step.
"Just give it a go," says Christine, "and trust the process."
Pictured: Sydney Striders
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