When is Being Unemotional a Good Thing?

The following question was posed in a sport psychology survey at my school.

Please give a brief description of your most recent competition. Describe the event in terms of your feelings before during and after.

My answer, admittedly longer than it was worth writing in the small comment box, was:

Before the race, as we are preparing, I bring myself to a calm focus amid the sea of frantic teammates and competitors. Their anxiety deepens my calm.

During the race, I focus on my technique, level of exertion, and hydration. People always talk about how much it hurts when you exert yourself to the limits of your physical abilities, but I don’t find that to be the case. I think it’s because during the race, I’m projecting to the future, knowing that lunch is just around the corner once I finish.

Near the end, I focus more on my technique. Every movement is deliberate yet automatic, like that of a finely tuned machine. People’s cheering releases the rest of my energy, bringing me across the finish line.

Throughout the post-race activities and the ride home, I look forward to finding another next set of good race results that shows my improvement in the last year.

Obviously, I don’t feel much emotionally before, during, or after the race. Whatever I do feel is optimistic.

This prompts a few questions.

To athletes: During a competition, what is the one thing that affects your emotional state the most, either positively or negatively?

To everyone: Is being unemotional such a bad thing? Is this why emotionally intelligent people tend to get flustered before a race?