Three Things Thursday: Pre-race edition

Pre-workout breakfast: Slice of whole-wheat toast with honey pre-yoga and a slice of crustless quiche and a grilled sandwich thin
Workout: 30 minutes light yoga and 2.25 miles "wogging" with Denali

1. "I get knocked down/ But I get up again/ You're never going to keep me down." Oh, Chumbawamba. I know your song is about getting wasted or whatever but I reserve the right to use your lyrics as I please. And today, I'm using them as a bit of a mantra. I might have fallen yesterday but I got up this morning feeling good. A little massive fall wasn't going to shatter my hopes. I went out, on the advice of a co-worker and fellow runner, for a bit of leg loosening. I would walk a nice warm-up and then jog at a very moderate pace. The goal was to prevent/alleviate any stiffness from my injuries. I had some pain in my knee from the scrape itself but everything seemed to work OK. I'll do some extra stretching tonight but I think I should be good.

2. I am currently in full-on pre-race mode. First step: Hydrate. Proper hydration begins days before a race - not that morning. I've been downing the water at work and will be adding low-cal Gatorade to the mix tonight and tomorrow. According to Runner's World, "Two to three days before your race, alternate drinking water with a sports drink. Since you are concerned about having too much fluid on board race morning, it is even more important that you hydrate very well prior to race day. "

3. The next part is the fun part ... sort of. Carb-loading. I like to make sure that at least two days out from a race that I start adding in more carbs. Hence the sandwich thin - not fruit - with my quiche and my planned "dessert" for this evening: Pumpkin oats. (No worries about my fruit consumption. I had a banana in my smoothie and there's an apple waiting as an afternoon snack.) According to Fitness Magazine, "Carbs will give your muscles and brain the fuel they need to get through the race. Most women tend to load up on familiar sources like pasta and rice, but (Lisa C.) Cohn suggests considering complex carb sources like tabouleh, oatmeal, and other whole grains."