To sum up my week of preparation, I did a super easy three mile run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and ate massive amounts of chocolate and valentine's day candy every day. I drank some Powerade, so I'm good.
Last night after work, Eric, Lily and I headed down south. We left about 6:30 pm, and I carb loaded with my first ever Subway foot long. I may never go back to the 6 inch.
I mentioned in my last post that Runner's World should really do a feature on proper pre-marathon nutrition using me as an example. (Hint: Eat an entire box of Valentine's Day chocolate every night). I've read numerous times that the sleep you get the night before the marathon doesn't really affect your performance, so lying awake due to nerves all night is nothing to worry about. It's actually most important to get a good night of sleep two nights before the race.
I really nailed that one. I took a Tylenol pm at midnight, and restlessly dozed in the backseat until 3:30am when we pulled into the hotel in Myrtle Beach (Eric is obviously a superhero for driving). By that point I was so whacked out that I couldn't even string together a sentence, and stumbled to our room to crash for another 6 hours. Now on top of a stellar week of nutrition, I also got proper rest for optimal performance. NAILED IT. Plus there's nothing that helps hydration like 9 hours in the car.
In all seriousness, these will just become important factors in my excuses in the case of poor performance, or overwhelming obstacles I managed to overcome in the case of a good race.
Is there anyone out there who doesn't love the Hampton? Despite being exhausted, all of our internal alarm clocks woke us up by 9:30. The most important part of a hotel is the complimentary breakfast (second place: the pool, third place: if they serve cookies) and it was only served until 10. We were not about to miss out on that.
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| Woah Woah Woah.....Oatmeal Bar. |
Right now we are laying around in the hotel beds (we must conserve our strength for the race). Once it's checkout time, we'll head to the expo to meet Emily, and then to the villa we are all staying in with Nicole and Mike. Tonight we'll carb load with a pasta dinner party, and we have a nice early wake up call for the 6:30 am start of the marathon on Saturday. I'm not going to lie - I'm getting pretty nervous! I just keep telling myself that at least I don't have to run 55 miles.
It's important to set up your excuses/obstacles in advance so you don't look like you're making them up. Good work.
ReplyDeleteWe always stay at Hamptons for work. They really are the best.
Hahaha! There is actually a blogger that comes to mind who always sets up her race recaps to explain away her poor performance at the beginning. From reading the blog, it's just poor training.
DeleteGood luck tomorrow, Alyssa!
You are so going to Rock the marathon tomorrow...can't wait to read all about it. I hope you and Eric have a fund and relaxing time today, and best of luck tomorrow !
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I'll be sending speedy thoughts your way! 26.2 is easy for you!
ReplyDeleteGood luck tomorrow! And have an amazing run! :)
ReplyDeleteyea!!!!!!! you are going to kick some major booty tomorrow! will be sending you good karma all day long. good luck!
ReplyDeleteHow do I handle the night before my daughter's marathon? Do I carbo-load too? No, of course not, I sushi-load. And after the marathon ... pigging out on chicken wings at Duff's in Buffalo. It's a winning formula.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Alyssa!
Good luck good luck good luck tomorrow!! Enjoy your carb loading and have a great run around the ocean. :)
ReplyDeleteOatmeal bar?!?! I want one of those! Good luck, Alyssa!!! Have fun carb loading, running, and then post-run gorging! On chocolate, obviously...
ReplyDeleteHaha! Perspective is saying before a marathon, "at least I don't have to run 55 miles." I think that also goes into the $hit runners say!
ReplyDeleteGood luck today!
I pretty much always pick my hotel on things like the free chocolate chips cookies at check in or Belgian waffles at breakfast - just the really important stuff. So you're probably done by now (10:30 am Saturday!) and I won't bother saying good luck - I know you kicked ass!
ReplyDeleteP.S. - favorite line of this post is "I may never go back to the 6 inch." Yes, I'm 12 years old.
My carb loading for you must have really worked. :)
ReplyDeleteAt least you don't have to run 55 miles. Probably not many stream crossings, or mud pit crossings either. And all that chocolate-loading, um, carb-loading I mean, is gonna propel you to a great performance. Go Alyssa! Or, hm,, Have Gone Alyssa! (It doesn't sound quite as good in that tense though.)
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