Pre-race Rituals

I don't know which I like more: racing or the feeling of race morning. 

My alarm is set for 5:30. The coffee maker for 5.

Dinner is plain chicken, spaghetti sauce, and whole wheat angel hair noodles. Pasta might be a cliche, but it works for me and you don't change what works.

As soon as the kids are in bed, I set out all of my gear, and check and double check it.

Two swim caps, goggles, two small towels, helmet with race numbers, jacket (just in case), Tri shorts and shirt, socks (rolled to go on fast), sports bra, shoes, race belt with number attached, knee strap, and compression socks for post-race.

What am I forgetting? Ah, GU and some shot bloks. Toss those in the bag. 

Then I set up the coffee maker and put my two water bottles in front of the coffee pot. This keeps me from forgetting cold water and gatorade in the morning.

I even put two pony tail holders on the bathroom counter. Then, most important of all, I paint my nails purple.

Purple nails started with Team in Training. Go Team! Our male coaches and several of the men on our team painted their nails purple for the Disney marathon. Since then, I think I've had purple nails every race day. 

It's getting late and I'm getting tired, but I'm packed and ready to go. Even though it's raining, the weather is looking fine. No thunderstorms! I'll bike through a monsoon, as long as the race doesn't get called.

Last but not least, it's time for a snack and some stupid TV. I sip gatorade and eat a little buttered wheat toast - simple but tasty.

Now I'm crashing. Don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight, but I'm feeling pretty stoked.

Yeh. I said stoked.