Only 16 more days!!!

Only 16 more days until my big race. I had to take the last 3 days off because I hurt my knee last week and I wanted to give it time to hopefully heal before it got any worse. I read a great book called "Marathoning For Mortals" and it really taught me a lot. It was a huge eye opener. I actually felt like the book was written for me. It talks about how you think that more running will make you faster and better. Not true. Proper training and not overtraining is the key. That is why I rested. The books says that at the sign of any possible injury, rest for 3 full days and you will come back stronger than before. So today I did an easy run and felt pretty good. I had some pain when I slowed down my running but it wasn't terrible.

I am getting nervous about my upcoming race. I realized that I really need to start planning out what I will need such as some sort of electrolyte replenishment for my water bottle to keep my sodium levels in a good range. Because it will be hot, it is important to drink more than water. If you deplete your sodium level during a big race, the after affects could be dangerous. I also tried some GU gels which are kind of like a gooey substance that comes in little packets that you can suck out while you run to also replenish your body with vital nutrients. It was ok but I would buy them in bulk.

I have also been eating very small meals ever 2-3 hours. I usually have egg whites, a protein bar, Greek yogurt and then a small dinner with a salad during a typical day. Although I try to eat healthy, going for long periods of time without food is actually just as bad as overeating. Because my days are so busy sometimes I don't get to eat until the afternoon or sometimes I will just grab something quick. I have been working very hard at changing that and making sure I eat small meals throughtout the day to keep my metabolism and energy going.

I am glad that I have been given another day to be up and running. One day closer to the big race....