Pre-Race Jitters - It's almost Philadelphia Marathon time!

It's about that time for taper madness to be hitting! With the Philadelphia Marathon less than 5 days away, I'm getting quite anxious for the race to happen. While other friends of mine got nervous before their races earlier in the season, I told each of them to relax. Now it's my time to start freaking out. I wouldn't say I'm as nervous as I have been in the past, but I am just really excited and wanting to race this very second.

Never enough cat memes. 

What is one way to ease nerves? Plan everything out so I am not so nervous! This week, I plan on getting plenty of sleep, drinking a lot of water, and eating healthfully. I've fulfilled the first two and struggled a bit with the last one, but I've got plenty of time to fill up on veggies, healthy proteins, and good carbs. I also plan on picking up my bib early on Saturday, then laying out my clothes and items needed for the race so I don't have to find them early on race day.

Another exciting part of my running ensemble (hopefully)? A homemade tutu. I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in a Lady GaGa costume and it was so fun. Whenever I felt down or negative, someone would cheer me on and it really got me back to focusing on racing and being happy. I'm the least crafty person ever, but I envy people like my friend Liz who are so crafty and DIY-friendly. I'm going to tackle this extremely easy project and hope that it brings me the happiness during the race.

Mine will hopefully look less like cotton candy. 

Anyone else racing the Philadelphia Marathon? Have any pre-race rituals that make you less nervous?