Competition has always been part of my story. I've stood on countless start lines, and no matter the sport, the same feelings emerge as you step forward, ready to begin.

Whether it's a marathon, triathlon, dirt bike start gate or mountain bike downhill, the venue changes, but the psychology doesn't. There's a version of you that arrives composed, confident and ready. And there's another that brings doubt, tension and hesitation.

Too many times I've watched that second version take control—both in myself and in other athletes. It wastes energy before the race has even begun. It has to be silenced, making room for confidence, fearlessness, the joy of competition and, ultimately, your best performance.

For most of my athletic life, I managed it the way most competitors do: routine, music, rituals, breathing.

What I didn't realise until much later was that scent could become the trigger. Not because of how it smells, but because of where it goes and what it does. Travelling directly to the brain regions responsible for memory, emotion and state, it bypasses conscious thought and can rapidly return you to a conditioned mental state.

PACE® began as a personal obsession. I wanted something engineered for this exact purpose—not just a fragrance, but a tool. A trigger that you enjoy wearing. Something you train with until it becomes automatic, then deploy when it matters most.

Because there are moments when your body is ready, and your mind is the only thing standing between you and your best.

Matt Co-Founder, PACE®