And the nerves set in...

Ahhhhh t-minus 7 days until my next marathon. You would think by now all the anxiety and uncertainty would go away, but with each new race approaching, it just gets worse. My husband always says that being nervous is a good thing. He says once that butterfly feeling goes away, then it's time to hang up the shoes and retire from races.  I think he is on too something. 
                

  

             (Bc I am a huge dork, and it's tradition, we take nervous      photos before ever race. These are
                My signature poses. Be jealous, sexy I know:)

Oh the week before any race is an important time. So many things you need to do to prepare for that one day. I guess the same could be said for many things in life such as an exam, baby, race, etc. it's all the same when you start thinking about. Hehe just kidding some are more important than others, but all are valued differently in our lives.
Ok, so back to the fun stuff.. First and foremost, the week before your race you need to hydrate. This is very important for you do not want to be a prune starting your race. Try to drink at least the recommended 8 glasses of water a day and as hard as it is, stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages the week before. I have a soft spot for coffee so if you want your hand ripped off you better not touch my coffee. Hehe, jk but I try to stick to one cup of coffee vs my usual two the week before.

Secondly, get plenty of sleep. Try to get an extra hour of sleep each night before the race. Your nerves will keep you up the night before so don't expect to get a full 8 hours, it just won't happen. So rest, rest, rest now. Thirdly, taper your runs. You really only want to run a few miles a day. Just enough to keep your body moving and your legs fresh. Fourth, carb loading, please don't go crazy on this one. Just eat small amounts of carbs during the week and if you want to have pasta the night before, go for it. Just make sure it's not heavy and greasy, wouldn't wanna make your belly uneasy and end up in the porta potty the entire race.

Next, my most favorite thing is to make my playlist! Get some jams downloaded, get pumped, and psyched for the big day. In my next post I will give you some insight into my top jams for this race. Ya know your excited!!!!! Lastly, get your clothes together. Pick out what your going to wear. Make sure it's comfortable and weather appropriate. And don't forget your body glide, those chaffing marks will stay with you forever, trust me, they are real.

Ok I think that's all in my list, hopefully it helps you all out! Opppps almost forgot the most importantly have fun! Crossing that finish is worth all the training, hard work, blood, and sweat you put into your races. Be proud of yourself and wear that medal.  Also get ready to stuff your face, it's pretty awesome being able to consume whatever you want so take advantage of it:) Who wants ice cream, pizza, etc???

Sorry folks, will be posting my famous birthday cake protein recipe on the next blog. I have to keep you in suspense and leaving ya hanging is what I am gonna do. Happy Sunday!