Preparing Body & Mind For Race Day! With Another Beet Smoothie Recipe ;)

Happy Friday!  I hope everyone had a great week that deserves a fabulous weekend ahead. :)  The stars aligned to give me the day off before my half marathon tomorrow morning.  It rarely works out that way, but I am happily taking advantage by preparing myself for the run.  Since I had just a moment in between all of my self-care, I thought I might as well share a little of my pre-race routine.

Most athletes have some rituals or habits in place to help them get ready for competition.  This not only helps to make sure the body is in good condition for performance, but it can also really help the mind be more calm and less stressed.  I don't consider myself an elite athlete by any means, however I still like to take particular care the days leading up to a race--especially a half marathon.  Although I feel well prepared, running for close to 2 hours straight still takes a toll on my body so every little advantage helps.

Here are some of the things that are part of my routine:

1. Going to bed early.  I actually try to pay attention to this the entire week leading up to a race as I know I usually get some jitters the night before.  Rest is so important for your body to be able to recover and also perform well.
2. Easy run the day before.  Everyone is very different in this respect.  I know some people like to rest the day before, but I like to get a few miles in at a very easy pace just to shake everything out.  Today I threw in a few strides and did some visualization to get my head in a good space, too.
3. Extra stretching/mobility work.  This is something I also add in even more than usual in the days leading up to a race, but I took extra care today to hit any spots that felt a little tight.  That's another benefit of doing a quick run--it can help you figure out where those spots may be.
4. Nutrition.  I will keep writing more about this for the @runningproject, but I am extra careful the day before a race to make sure every calorie I eat is going to fuel me or assist my body in some way.  My beet smoothie recipe of the week is below.  I make sure to eat enough the day before, but I don't worry about stuffing myself with too much extra food because I really don't want to feel bloated and lethargic.  The biggest lesson is to figure out what foods agree with you and don't eat anything too adventurous that may cause digestive upset for race day.
5. Carve out a little me time.  I woke up early as usual today despite not having to go in to work, so I took an hour before the sun came up to sit and read in a cozy chair.  I will also make a little time this afternoon for a quick meditation session.  The Headspace app has some great sports-related meditations!
6. Get all my gear ready for the morning.  This one is pretty much a universal.  My race is a little over an hour away and we are leaving straight from there to spend the weekend with @dksart's parents, so it will be especially helpful for me to have everything set out or packed so I'm not rushing in the morning.

All very simple things, but it's nice to have been racing long enough that it's all habit now.  I will be very excited to share how I do!  I really can't say enough how great it has been to join the running community on here.  All of you guys and gals keep me inspired every day!  Until then, here's my vibrant smoothie that makes me feel like a plant-based champion. ;)

Another Beet Smoothie (Can you tell I like these?)

Serves 2

• 1 raw beet + greens; washed, trimmed & chopped
• 1/4 cup raw shredded parsnip
• 1 heaping cup frozen berry blend
• 1 apple, cored (thanks to @instagoodfood for the apple inspiration)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 2 teaspoons amla powder
• 3 cups water

I blended up the beets, parsnips, ginger and water first to make sure the more dense vegetables were broken down well.  Then I added all of the remaining ingredients to the blender and ran it until smooth!  Mine was just a little bit chewy still, but I actually like my smoothies like that sometimes.  It helps keep me fuller for longer and means the fiber is still somewhat intact to have more benefit for your digestive tract.  Feel free to add more water or less veggies if you would prefer a smoother product.

I'll see you all tomorrow after the race!