The Carbs

Here it is folks, the day BEFORE the Baltimore Marathon. I’ve maintained good sleep and nutrition allll week, plus chugged tons of water and carbo-loaded just like Runners World advised!

I know, it’s a common misconception that you should carbo-load the night BEFORE but that is not the plan. I have to be very careful with my meal tonight. Overeating is bad news before a race! (I did this last year and suffered greatly!)

We are going to an Italian restaurant in Baltimore near the hotel and I plan to get something plain like just pasta marinara and a piece of garlic bread.

Race Fuel

As you can see above, I want OPTIONS when I pack up my running pack in the AM. The race starts at 8am and we are about 1 mile from the starting line. I’m guessing I will get up around 5 or 5:30 to wake up, eat breakfast, and get jazzed!

The breakfast plan is a peanut butter sandwich with a banana but we’ll see what my stomach says in the morning.

My guess is that I’ll have 3 Gus, 2 mini-cliff bars, some sport beans and half a pack of chomps during the race but we’ll see!

I’ve really cut back on running this week…did an 8-miler on Saturday and a 4-miler on Tuesday and that’s it. Fresh legs it IS!

The Music Dilemma

I’m still not fully decided on ipod or no ipod. While I’d prefer to go without — because of the cheering crowds and making new friends — I can’t help but remember how awesomely I PR’d last year with the music.

I think I will go with even though I know it is taboo. Since I’m running the Marine Corps Marathon just two weeks later, I will go without for that! I had planned on making a new playlist just for the marathon but time ran out 🙁 I have some awesome songs loaded up already so it should be good. Last year I had the perfect song to cross the finish line:

It felt AWESOME dashing across the finish line to that. What will it be this year?

The Learning Curve

My first marathon (MCM ’08), I was woefully underprepared but managed to get done in a respectable time. The only way I did it was with a mantra:

“This is YOUR marathon, Ericka. You cannot give up.” I repeated “MY marathon” a thousand times until I crossed that Finish Line.

Last year in Chicago, I had a rough experience and had to walk about 3 miles (really hard to take that) but I kept saying it’s better to finish walking then quit. Oh — and it WAS! I actually ran the last two miles with a second wind to the end.

Seems like every marathon is different. I wonder what this one will teach me? I expect to be taught one way or the other. And I’m an eager student 🙂

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