Smack in the Middle of Race Week

This is race week, and come Saturday morning I will be firing up my Mini Cooper Clubman and heading down the California coast to toe the line at the ridiculous hour of 5:30AM on Sunday morning for the Orange County marathon.  Clearly, this is not my first rodeo, and every race week I am constantly referring back to previous work out logs to mimic what I did the previous race week, listening to every creak my body makes while running, driving, sleeping, eating, etc., not drinking any alcohol, and asking myself to dig deep and give everything I have on race day.  The most important aspect of race week, and I cannot emphasize this enough, is eating pancakes for dinner on Saturday night.  Yes, pancakes.

I cannot take credit for the idea, I read it in one my numerous endurance periodicals in early 2010, but pancakes are a marvelous carbohydrate packed meal that is much easier on the stomach than the “go to” mountain of pasta always touted as the almighty pre-race meal.  I NEVER what to eat any strange sauce the night before a marathon…. That is literally a recipe for disaster.  However, pancakes are nearly identical to pasta, they are basically flour and water, but since I am a vegetarian, I have lately swapped out the eggs for bananas, and add in some almonds for extra protein.  Also, I do not add any syrup.  This is not for any health benefit, even though I am sure the sugar bomb of syrup would do a number on my tum-tum during the race, I have never liked syrup with pancakes, so why start now?

The race prep gets interesting when travel is involved.  As I mentioned, the start time is REALLY early, so I will be staying in a hotel the night before, fun, yes, but not every city has a Denny’s, most do of course, but just in case, I will be making my pancakes just how I like them on Saturday morning, and packing them with me in order to enjoy an early “breakfast for dinner” feast no later than 6PM. I have found this time frame allows for sufficient digestion and a fighting chance for quality sleep, which never really happens, but I aim to give myself the best shot I can.

When Sunday morning rolls around I will be up at 4:00AM, brewing coffee and eating a bagel alone in my hotel room watching some sort of local news show, or VH1 if they have it:), a 90's girl can dream.  Once my car is parked, and I am among my fellow runners, my giggling smile will be broad and eyes bright, because I will be with my people in my favorite place awaiting the hours of pain and splendor ahead of us; the fast ones, the slow ones, the newbies, and the Maniacs, off we go together for a 26.2 mile run.