{"podcast":{"title":"The Athlete's Compass","slug":"the-athlete-s-compass-6705232","podcast_index_feed_id":6705232,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-athletes-compass/","website_url":"https://athletica.ai/the-athletes-compass-podcast/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/4dbd3845-ccb9-4e3d-b182-c607e86995df/E6BVQxOpbOH8MGosAXCNjhy4.jpg","author":"Athletica","episode_count":138,"summary":"The Athlete’s Compass Podcast is your compass for navigating endurance training and health. In this show, we explore the cardinal directions of training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset, delving into the dynamic relationship that drives athletic success. Athletes are more than numbers; they're individuals with unique lifestyles and mindset challenges. Coaches who understand these personal nuances play a vital role in their athletes' journey. While training details and data are important, tools like Athletica provide a solution to streamline the technicalities, allowing coaches to focus on the human connection which makes the human coaches the best they can be. Each week, renowned sports scientist and researcher Paul Laursen will be our teacher and guide as we break down training principles so you can understand how best to train for your sport! We take a no-bullshit and practical approach to support age-groupers, masters, and everyday cyclists, runners, and triathletes like you as you find your direction as an athlete. The hosts are Paul Laursen, sports scientist and founder of the Athletica.ai training platform, Marjana Rakai, coach, sports scientist, and triathlete, and Paul Wa…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T08:21:02.703077+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232"},"episode":{"title":"Your Brain on Race Day: Understanding Pre-Race Anxiety","slug":"your-brain-on-race-day-understanding-pre-race-anxiety","published_at":"2025-12-11T19:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/your-brain-on-race-day-understanding-pre-race-anxiety","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232","url":"https://athletica.ai/the-athletes-compass-podcast/your-brain-on-race-day-understanding-pre-race-anxiety","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/6b8b6712-6b7f-468e-96f7-297aa74f5e9e.mp3","summary":"In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass , co-hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai unpack the often-overlooked reality of race day anxiety for everyday endurance athletes. They explore how physiological responses like elevated heart rate and the “monkey mind” can feel overwhelming, yet serve a functional purpose. The team discusses personal stories, evidence-based strategies like visualization and race-day rehearsals, and the power of simple tools—breathing, smiling, human connection—to reframe anxiety into a performance enhancer. They emphasize preparation, self-efficacy, and presence as key to transforming nerves into fuel. Key Episode Takeaways Race anxiety is normal —even beneficial. It's your sympathetic nervous system preparing you for peak performance. The amygdala triggers the fight-or-flight response , but emotions like anxiety can be short-lived if not mentally recycled. Preparation is your best defense : mental rehearsal, race plans, and pacing practice reduce unpredictability. Visualize the whole experience : from arriving in town to the final push—especially what to do if things go wrong. Human connection helps regulate cortisol : smiling, eye contact, and small interactions ease stress. Breathe to break the anxiety loop : techniques like box breathing calm the nervous system and restore focus. Self-efficacy is key : confidence from training and process goals reduces pressure on outcome. Reframe nerves as excitement and privilege : gratitude turns stress into motivation. Paul Warloski - Simple Endurance Coaching Marjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.","meta_description":"In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass , co-hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai unpack the often-overlooked reality of race day an…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2062,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/episodes/your-brain-on-race-day-understanding-pre-race-anxiety/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/your-brain-on-race-day-understanding-pre-race-anxiety.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}