anxiety & jitters

How to Cope with Pre-Race Jitters

Every triathlete, runner or cyclist, no matter their level, experience pre-race jitters ー the feeling of excitement or butterflies in your stomach prior to the start of a race. How ever, some athletes turn pre-race jitters into performance anxiety. Pre-race jitters are a natural part of your racing, but pre-race performance anxiety will cause most athletes to tense up, worry about their performance and ultimately not perform up to their ability.

jitters　/’dʒɪtəz/　/’dʒɪtərz/   [単複両扱い]  n)いらいら･不安感

★ feelings of being anxious and nervous, especially before an important event or before having to do something difficult

・I always get the jitters before exams.

・Louise had pre-wedding jitters.

anxiety   /æŋ'zaɪəti/　n)不安･心配･懸念、苦闘、心配事、切望･熱望

★ the state of feeling nervous or worried that something bad is going to happen

・acute/intense/deep anxiety

・Some hospital patients experience high levels of anxiety.

・Waiting for exam results is a time of great anxiety.

★ a mental illness that causes somebody to worry so much that it has a very negative effect on their daily life

・Some people are feeling the pressure and suffering from anxiety and depression.

・patients with an anxiety disorder

★ a warry or fear about something

・If you're worried about your health, share your anxieties with your doctor

★ a strong feeling of wanting to do something or of wanting something to happen

・anxiety to do something the candidate's anxiety to win the vote

・A couple of photographers fell over themselves in their anxiety to get a shot of her

・anxiety for something the people's anxiety for the war to end

no matter  関係ない

butterflies  n)蝶の複数形、はらはら･そわそわ

prior　/'praɪə(r)/　/'praɪər/　adj)前の、先の　

prior to ...   ～に先立って（before)

tense　/tens/　adj)ぴんと張った･緊張した　v)ぴんと張る･緊張させる

tense up　v)緊張する･こわばる　

ultimately   /'ʌltɪmətli/　adv)結局のところ･最終的には

Before the race, I always need to channel my pre-race anxiety into positive energy.