Pre-Race dinner

I met with a stylist, last week. Meaghan told me of her sea level race where she believed she would PR. It was sea level and she trained in Denver. Obviously, there was an advantage in that. I know, somewhat, from experience, that running at sea level is easier after training in Colorado. It is. Believe me. I dream of doing a marathon, at sea level, on a flat course. I would rock!
So, Meaghan trains in Denver, intending to PR at the Phoenix 1/2. She prepared. Really, she did. Cut out drinking and smoking for 2 months. She started the event and was killing it. 7 miles in and she had a great pace going, felt good about herself and then, suddenly, she was finding difficulty with her running. Instead of running 9 minute miles, she was running 13 minute miles. How did this happen was what she was thinking....After everything was said and done, she finished in 2 hours 23 minutes. This was her normal altitude, smoke-filled race. She decided that she would never cut out drinking/smoking to train for a race again.
I understand that. I do.
My best run was my last run, prior to the marathon. I dined in D.C. for 4 days, eating rich food, drinking a ton of wine/beer and then ran 21 miles in Denver. It was freeing, amazing, pure.
The marathon lacked. I quit drinking. I ate before 7 p.m. I ate bland food...blah, blah, blah....it didn't work for me. I knew it.
Last night, pre-Bolder Boulder, I felt like having a glass of wine. Sara Jo was busy. Pocketsize was down south. I hadn't spoken to the Goddess. Bryn isn't much of a wine drinker. My options were limited.
Suddenly, I receive a text from Maghan. He wanted to know what I was doing and I responded, hoping that he would want to meet for dinner. Maghan is a pro. He likes food. He knows servers and wine. I knew that if I met him, I would have a fantastic experience.
I needed to limit my intake due to the race and so I told him that it would be an early night.
We agreed to Elway's....Shocker, I know.
Michael and John Miller were bartending. Maghan knew the sous chef and so we started the night off with a shrimp and fritter appetizer. Maghan's friend and co-worker, Jason, was also dining with us. Maghan ordered a bottle of big red wine off of his friend, Tim. We settled for the ribeye. I am not much a red meat eater, but felt that a bite or two wouldn't kill me. They wanted the ribeye, medium rare, topped with an over easy egg and foie gras. I complied.
We shared beef enchiladas.
I demanded the spring vegetable medley. I wanted something green.
And, we had a beet salad as a starter. Yummy, colorful, delightful.
Afterwards, they ordered smores and creme brulee. I am not a flan or creme brulee person. I had half of a smore and then departed for the evening.
I slept 7 hours. Yes, I like my sleep. I woke up, early, to meet Lindsay. Uncertain about how my stomach would feel, I began to regret my dinner option. The last thing that I wanted was to have an unpleasant race due to my food choices. But, like in D.C., I had an amazing race. No stomach issues or cramps and I felt right. Right in my world that is. Yes, my system is used to a certain diet. When I alter course, or try to be healthy, I suffer through the event. It isn't pretty and I do not recommend trying it. I have found that in my races, I should be true to who I am...eat foie or steak, and then run.
I am considering the Las Vegas full marathon. It is months away, but the decadent dinner, afterwards, will be worth all of the training, conversations and 26.2 miles. Yes, I think I will register for Vegas 2010..........