Getting Ready for Brooksie... or How I am NOT Ready for Brooksie.

Training wise, yeah I'd say that I am ready.  More ready than I possibly ever have been before, and certainly more ready than I was last year for PF Chang's RNR Arizona Half and the Chicago Distance Classic Half.  

I ended up take a 1+ week hiatus from running due to a little hip flexor pain, and now some foot pain, but all in all I got in my long runs in and I felt good and strong out there.   My hip pain is gone, and oddly enough it is the same pain 

I had 3 years ago when I started running again.   I think tht it has to do with weight loss.  When I was fat - no pain but in the knees.. now that I am not fat - I get hip pain.  Can a girl not win

? 

What I am not ready for is the physical act of racing.   

I have not got my clothes picked out yet, I do not have any gels left, and I just used up my last serving of subtle berry HEED.  

So on today's list of activities are the following in no particular order:

1. RunningFit - HEED and Hammer Gel purchasing (enough for Brooksie and Detroit half marathons)
2. Pick out my attire for tomorrow's race.  Possibilities include my cropped leggin with a sport tank on with a long leeved dri-fit top over.  Wind breaker for AM warm up.
3. Water bottle prepred and bottle holder packed
4. Put race # on my clothing, and remember to NOT wear my Champion Chip as this race is uing some new D-Tag technology.  Interesting.
5. Go to Oakland Univerity and pick up my race packet and peruse the expo.  
6. Hang out with the Kryvicky clan and catch up on their trip to Paris
7. Carbo load and get some SLEEP

During my training this time around I worked on not only endurance and some speed (heh), I also worked out a nutritional plan.  Granted when I started it was 90*+ and I have a known problem with cramping in heat, so I started by mixing up HEED electrolyte mix with some electrolyte enhanced water and sip on it ever mile.    It worked, and I will do the saame in 60* weather  well.    Also, I take 1 gel before the race, and then 1 gel every 6 miles or so.  This will have me taking a gel at mile 12, but oh well - the energy that I get from it really makes a difference in me.  My legs have felt as fresh at mile 11 as they have at mile 1 and that is going to make a difference in me finishing, and me finishing strong and happy.  I prefer the latter much more to the former if given the choice.  Although somedays just finishing is reward enough.   

Well my friends, I guess the next post will be my first Half Marathon race report in over a year.   Here's to enjoying the run!