So I am officially 2 days away from my next half marathon. It's kind of like waiting for Christmas as a kid...you feel like you prepare for months and months...counting the days, working feverishly on your wish list, doing all of the yuletide activities like advent calendars, xmas trees, parties, etc to prepare for the big day. And it feels like its going to take forever until it gets here...for me usually 16-20 weeks as that is usually how long my training plans last. However, before you know it it's Xmas Eve and you are putting out stockings, making sure Santa has cookies, going to bed with excitement after you have laid out your Xmas clothes and mentally prepared yourself for the upcoming joy of Xmas morning. For me, my race eves and mornings are very much the same.

The night before a race I get in "my zone" ensuring that everything is in order and that I get the required food, water, sleep and mental preparation. I lay out my clothes for the next morning and make sure that my ipod and watch are charged. I lay out my water bottle and Gatorade, my Gu and the diaper lotion for my feet (it helps with blisters). I make sure all of the pills I pop before a race are ready and waiting...don't worry I am not doping...oh wait you can tell that when you see my times. And I slow down my mind and just focus on the task at hand...however often times I have trouble sleeping as the anticipation and excitement are building.

On race day I awake just like on Xmas morning with excitement and a little apprehension. I put together my equipment going through a mental checklist. Running visor-check. ipod-check. Shirt-check...people get weird when you run with no shirt on. Running #-check. Shorts-check. Glide stick on my thighs so I don't get road rash-check. Diaper lotion and synthetic socks-check. Shoes-check. Gatorade-check. And then my rituals begin...I always drink chai tea before a race because my stomach can't handle food but it needs the protein in the milk. I always drink some water but not enough that I have to use the restroom right before a race. I always get to the start line a little early so I can find my corale and start my music so I can get my head in the game before the runners start. I look around me and watch the different running styles and traditions. There will be some people who act like the half marathon is like a frat party...talking, laughing, joking and showing no outwardly signs of stress. There are others who act like this is the Olympics...as they stretch, take up huge amounts of cement while they spread eagle in front of everyone and wear the least amount of clothes possible. There are the historic runners who have been doing this for years...they are calm, chiseled and ready to go into battle. And there is me...quiet, focused and just ready to start as I know that with every step the end becomes that much closer and so does the beer and carbs that I can eat/drink as soon as I finish.

I am what I call the multi-personality disorder runner. At the starting line I am quiet, focused and determined. At the finish line I am enthusiastic, ecstatic and ready to have a good time. In the middle I go through stages of euphoria, pain and suffering and just being in the groove. I use all of my psychological strategies to get through the race including loud hyper music, positive self talks, making lists in my head of what I can eat and drink when I am done, counting to myself, setting distance goals and reminding myself over and over why I do this. So I enter this cycle again...today I start hydrating and watching what I eat...looking forward to the challenge ahead of me and determined to do better than the last time.
Wish me luck as I conquer San Diego on Sunday! Oh and since I won't be drinking this weekend make sure you all have a glass of wine for me. Cheers!