Pre-Race Day Nerves
I need to confess something that I realized this week and has been on the back of my mind ever since: I’m way more afraid of this race than I was my first half-marathon. Why? I have no clue. I ran 13.2 miles on race day, by accident, and then again repeating my accidental route. So what’ll be the difference on May 2nd? Again, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the pressure of the “want” to go sub 1:40.If that’s the case, I’m willing to throw that goal out of my mind; it’s no use setting a time goal if it means you can’t even complete the run. On the other hand, these could jst be silly nerves that will subside in time, and that’s what I’m hoping. Meghan here and Caitlin here both talked this week about “practice runs” for big races/events, and Kath ran her 1/2 2 weeks early here. I can’t help but wonder if that will calm my nerves. And since I do live in this town and actually run a 1.5 miles stretch of the course on a regular basis, it would be an easy feat, too. Do you have/get these nerves? This is one of those times I’m very happy to have the blogworld on hand for advice 😀
Pomegranate Chobani With Raw Brownie Bites And Raspberry Dark Chocolate
I love a good, peaceful Friday night. Since I already had my Friday sundae, I thought I should get back on track by eating my “clean” foods for dessert. With healthy probiotics, living enzymes, and antioxidant rich dark chocolate, I think this pomegranate Chobani with raw chocolate brownie chunks and raspberry dark chocolate counted as clean 😉
I also sipped on Honey Vanilla Chamomile tea made by Celestial Seasonings. Tea just tastes so much cleaner and more pure than coffee at times. It’s not a new tea, but is a new review! Check it out. I’m very happy I was able to score this at Stop & Shop for just $1.50.
Oatmeal With Chocolate Almond Butter And Coconut Milk
Lastly, I made a bowl of “Almond Joy” oatmeal with Justin’s chocolate almond butter and coconut milk for watching 20/20 and a woman ho didn’t know she was pregnant. A more perfect night? I think not. If you’re wondering how to store coconut milk, transfer it to a plastic seal-tight container and refrigerate. It starts to lose flavor, and will go bad after a week, but the richness is still there and absolutely dreamy on oats with salt.
Pomegranate Chobani With Dark Chocolate Almonds, Oatmeal With Cinnamon Raisin PB And Turbinado Sugar
My nerves didn’t cause me to sleep in this morning; my laziness did. As it turns out, the warm weather is gone, so perhaps I’m smarter to wait to run until after breakfast, anyway. I had another pomegranate Chobani, this time with Tierra Farm‘s organic dark chocolate covered almonds. There’s definitely a tasty side to thinking dark chocolate, probiotics and nuts are all clean foods 🙂
Oatmeal With Cinnamon Raisin PB And Turbinado Sugar
On my oats, I had a plop of cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter by PB&Co. with some added turbinado sugar sprinkled on top. I forgot about my obsession with this since I haven’t had cinnamon raisin bread in a while, but it’s a perfectly earthy way to dish up oats all their own. And so I sit here, contemplating my nerves as I plan out a run. I think I’ll try to follow part of the race route, hoping I won’t get lost in new territory. I’d love to have more time this weekend to devote to denerve about this, but the best I can do is a practice run and maybe a meal at Whole Foods if I time it right. In the meanwhile, here’s a Barney Butter giveaway!
This is TOTALLY natural. The first time you ever run a distance it is fun because you no pressure because you have never done it before. There is no goal time to beat, no pressure to do better than you did the time before. It just is. This time though you have set a standard and it is in most people’s nature to want to beat that standard. Ask any runner and this is how it is. My only advice, Evan, is to just believe in yourself and don’t OVERTHINK it! Just use the nerves as fuel to help you beat your goal. I struggle with this all the time. I always want to “best” myself and when I don’t I feel unhappy. I think it something a lot of runners struggle with. I know this wasn’t overly helpful but just know that I believe in you…
Kelly
April 10, 2010
On the contrary, I think this was totally helpful and you nailed it on the head. I thought it was “weird” to be afraid of something you’ve done before, but the way you talk about it makes perfect sense and I’m glad to know I’m not alone. Now I really should stop sipping fake coffee and probably get that practice run in sometimes, huh…
Evan Thomas
April 10, 2010
Kelly is oh so wise. I was going to give you the same advice! You eat mileage for breakfast, so you’ll be fine! If you think a practice run will help calm your nerves, go for it. I know you are nervous about the hills, so maybe conquering a few of the big ones might help you!
Madeline - Greens and Jeans
April 10, 2010
good luck with the race! dreading the deadline is worse than actually doing it (I promise!). it’s such a mental thing- focus on how able your body is!
Katherine
Katherine: What About Summer?
April 10, 2010
I think the nerves part of racing is one of the reasons why I don’t race!! I would so much rather just run on my own time, at my own pace….for free 🙂 I’m also just not that into running, and I think that plays a huge part. I am walking the Race for the Cure this year, walking is my thing.
I love your idea of a “clean dessert”. I try to include something healthy in all of my desserts. Whether it’s blueberries or 85% dark chocolate, at least I know I am getting some polyphenols in my body, along with some lovely and delicious sugar.
Have a great weekend Evan.
The Candid RD
April 10, 2010
I definitely have nerves before race day, thinking that I may not be able to run it!
Ian
April 10, 2010
you’re gonna do great!!!
actorsdiet
April 10, 2010