Fear Is Part of the Sport (And Why That’s a Good Thing for Endurance Athletes)

Nate Hyde
5 days ago
4 min read

Fear Is Part of the Sport

On our team call last Sunday, NVDM Coaching's head coach, Natasha Van Der Merwe, introduced a simple but powerful prompt: What fears are holding you back?

What came out of that discussion was honest—and consistent.

The answers varied slightly:

Fear of not performing the way I once did
Fear of not being as good as when I was younger
Fear of not doing it perfectly

My personal fear? Not being good enough.

Different words—but the same root.

The fear of failure can become overwhelming. And more often than not, it grows larger in our minds than the race itself.

My Experience With Fear

"I've stood in the water before a race and felt my chest tighten."

In 17 years of training and racing, I’ve had plenty of experience with fear.

I’ve been afraid to show up to workouts because someone might be faster than me. I’ve stood on a start line, looked around at fit athletes, and thought, I’m done before this even starts.

I’ve stood in the water before a race and felt my chest tighten. I’ve had multiple races turn into full panic during the swim—where finishing became secondary to just getting to the next buoy or kayak.

I’ve been deep into the run and started questioning everything—not just how I felt physically, but whether I belonged there at all.

And after a DNF at Ironman Maryland in 2021, I learned that those fears and experiences stick with you.

Not because of the result itself—but because of what you attach to it.

The meaning you assign. The story you tell yourself afterward. What you believe it says about your ability, your preparation, your identity as an athlete.

Why Fear Can Get Stronger As You Improve

Fear is often a combination of ego and uncertainty.

It lives in the space between who you believe you are—and the possibility that reality might not match it.

The race doesn’t create those thoughts—it exposes them.

And as athletes improve, fear doesn’t go away—it often gets stronger.

Because now there’s context. Expectations. Past performances that create a standard in your mind.

You’re no longer just participating—you’re measuring.

Whether it’s comparing yourself to a younger version of you or to a previous race, many athletes feel this but don’t always say it out loud.

The standard keeps evolving—but the comparison stays fixed.

And when the expectation becomes a specific outcome—a place, a pace, or a “perfect race”—anything short of that can start to feel like failure.

The Trap: Trying to Eliminate Fear

Our natural reaction is to try to eliminate fear.

We want to feel confident, certain, and completely ready. Our brains are wired for safety and comfort.

But in endurance sports, that’s not realistic.

If you care about the outcome—If you’re pushing your limits—If something is at stake—

You’re going to feel fear.

And in my experience, trying to eliminate it usually just makes it louder.

A Better Way to Look at Fear

Instead of treating fear as something that needs to go away, it’s more useful to see it for what it is:

A signal.

Fear shows up when something matters. When you’re stepping into uncertainty. When you’re pushing beyond what feels comfortable.

It’s not a sign that something is wrong—it’s a sign that you’re engaged.

Fear becomes overwhelming when it stays unspoken and undefined. Once you identify it, it becomes something you can work with instead of something that controls you.

It took me a few weeks to process my DNF and the fear that it might happen again.

What I eventually realized was this: I was racing faster than I ever had. I was pushing against my limits—and that day, I went too far.

My body shut down six miles short of the finish line.

After the disappointment passed, something else replaced it—pride.

Pride that I had pushed to my limit. And excitement to rebuild, learn from it, and come back stronger.

What To Do With Fear (Practical Framework for Athletes)

When fear shows up, the first step is to acknowledge it clearly.

1. Name It: Call it what it is—fear of failure, fear of not meeting expectations, or fear of not being perfect.

2. Externalize It: Share it with your coach. Talk it through. Fear loses power when it’s spoken.

3. Refocus on Control: Shift your attention back to what you can control:

Effort
Pacing
Nutrition
Decisions in the moment

Not the outcome. Not the “what if.” Just the next step in front of you.

4. Move With It: You don’t need to eliminate fear. You just need to keep moving with it.

Final Thought: The Best Athletes Carry Fear Differently

Fear thrives in silence.

When it’s unspoken, it grows—distorting perception, increasing anxiety, and taking control.

But fear doesn’t mean you’re not ready.

It means you care. It means something is on the line.

The goal isn’t to eliminate fear. It’s to build the ability to move forward anyway—to stay present, to execute, and to keep going even when doubt shows up.

Because the athletes who grow and perform at their best aren’t the ones who never feel fear.

They’re the ones who learn how to carry it.