Greenland Trail 50K (Or How I Prepared for the Big Day)

Part I
Friday, May 6

Since I've never run an ultra marathon, I thought it would be "fun" to track how the day before went. Maybe it would be good, maybe it would be bad. Warning, most of this involves food...

Wake up - 7:45. This is actually 10 minutes before my alarm goes off. I do, however, stay in bed until it goes off. No sense in getting up earlier than necessary. I actually get dressed. In real clothes. This is of note only because I normally wear sweats or something. I even do my hair and makeup. A is upstairs, already dressed. However, she was supposed to have a bath this morning. Clothes off and bath. Then get dressed again. She is moving SUPER SLOW. I really have to scramble to get her hair brushed. She doesn't really have time for breakfast. Sigh. Sometimes I suck in the morning. Out the door at 8:42.

Drop off at preschool - 8:45. My mom is there dropping off H, we talk for a few minutes. We both head to Safeway. Need to get some pictures printed for 33BA. Machine at the grocery store where they are offering 5 cent prints is broken with no estimate of when it will be done. Awesome. Head to Target to pay substantially more at 29 cents a print.

Realize I haven't eaten. Stop at Subway on the way home. Drive home to eat, then realize I need to do laundry. Sigh. Throw in the laundry, THEN I get to eat my breakfast (by now it's already 9:45).

YUM!

 Then I remember... H has been sick all week. Need to remember this:

After I'm done eating, I let the dog in, paint my nails, and watch an episode of "One Tree Hill" on Hulu:

J's puppy - Chopper

By the time I'm done with all that, the laundry is ready to go in the dryer, and then it's 11:15, time for me to pick up A at school. She has a surprise for me for Mother's Day!

We make a quick stop at the house to drop off the plant, then head out for lunch. I'm thinking... salad (and other stuff) buffet! (PS. If you don't know me in real life I really do eat a ton. Most of it is pretty healthy, but I'm seriously starving all the time. I really ate ALL this, and other than the pasta and bread, I'd eat this at a normal lunch even if I wasn't racing the next day. Hangs head in shame).

Bread with honey butter, chili, baked potato

Ginormous Salad

Mac n' Cheese, Pasta, Bread

OK, for dessert I only had HALF of these:

Double Chocolate brownie, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Muffin

After lunch, I took A to the park down the street. She spent about 45 minutes playing while I read a book. Then we headed to the mall for an emergency headband problem (don't worry, solved). And a Disney Vinylmation. A only has five total, apparently two of them are "Chasers"

Jafar & Evil Dr. Porkchop

Then, headed home, where we had some time to relax. A chose to play with her My Little Ponies in her room. I finished this soda I'd been drinking since this morning and watched "Unsolved Mysteries":

And then opened this one... (around 3:00). Realize that A desperately needs her laundry done. Finish the load I had put in earlier, then throw hers in.

And then packed this snack mix (for me) - a Chex mix of turtle and chocolate blends ("stolen" from H).

Get A dressed and hair fixed for gymnastics:

Then quick stop at Starbucks for Happy Hour:

Grande Non-fat Mocha Coconut Frap

Tall Double Chocolaty Chip Frap... with Whip (don't worry, no coffee in  this)

Get to gymnastics, where A was a BIT energetic, but did great on the balance beam:

Leave straight from the gym at 5:00 to meet L at... You guessed it APPLEBEE'S for our traditional pre-race dinner.

Plain water... I drank most of it

Spinach dip - I didn't eat much

And of course...

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta

And:

Chocolate Mousse dessert shooter

Then it was time to head home. Put away A's laundry that I did earlier. A continues to play in her room while L and I catch up on Gossip Girl. I drank this entire bottle in 45 minutes (This is the big kahuna size, 4 servings):

L heads to bed just before 10. I stay up with A for a bit, we read some stories, then she is off to bed. I am not done for the night.

I head downstairs for tv time with J - an episode of "Ghost Adventures" and one of "30 Rock") while drinking...

Beer #1

Beer #2

I won't lie. I'm a bit buzzed. What can I say? I don't drink much. I head to bed around 11:45, setting the alarm for 5:14... Fall asleep pretty quick, which rarely happens when I'm at home night before a race.

Isn't my life exciting??

Stay tuned...