Putting it together before the Marine Corps Marathon

With 10 days to go until the Marine Corps Marathon, I’m using this week to put together all the final pieces.

My trusty roasted vegetable lasagna will provide many pre-MCM meals.

I’m adding last-minute songs to my marathon playlist. Know what I’ve been digging lately? Kanye West’s “Golddigger” and Outkast’s “B.O.B.” and “Rosa Parks.” If you ever liked these songs, it’s time to try them on a playlist again. Trust me.

I’m slowly starting to eat more carbs than usual, and slowly cutting down a bit on fruits, veggies and other fiber-filled delights. This is a bummer, but it’s necessary to pander to my wimpy, finicky stomach. By the time race-day gets here, I’ll be subsisting largely on various pasta and pizza dishes, like roasted vegetable lasagna and homemade pizza, and my special pre-marathon banana bread. Wait. Typing that has made me aware that this isn’t a bummer. It’s AWESOME.

I’m getting psyched about my Bib No. 5345, which I’ve decided is lucky. Doesn’t it just SOUND like a good number? I think so.

I’m also getting psyched about the expo, which I’m planning to attend on Friday to take advantage of the fact that I work at home, and get to make my own schedule. My excitement stems from the fact that I may schedule this around Bart Yasso’s appearance at noon Friday.

I’m reading things that inspire me, like this post from Amy Morris about her pre-MCM 20-miler, or this race report from the Chic Runner, who ran her goal time — and possibly the happiest marathon ever – in California. Thanks to both of them, I’ve added some new mantras to my repertoire: “This is my city and I OWN THIS!” (Applies to DC for me, of course). “Settle in. You’re here for a while.” And “Go get your medal.” Wow. Yes, please! Also, a runner-friend in Gainesville, Fla., has sent me a copy of “Once A Runner” by John L. Parker Jr., which Runner’s World has called “the best novel ever written about running.” I’ve read the sequel, “Again to Carthage,” while living in Gainesville, and I loved the imagery of my favorite routes — plus the intimate knowledge of what it means to be a runner in Florida (I laughed out loud for pages when he can’t take a shower post-run because he’s not done sweating). I got to talk to him for a Gainesville Sun story, and he was just the most humble, wry dude you could imagine, which makes me all the more excited about this book.

I’m curious: What’s your sports nutrition routine pre-marathon — not just the two days before, but the week before? When do you start thinking about consuming some extra carbs, and staying away from Problem Foods? Any other tricks or tips to share? Let me know by posting a comment!