Race Plan for The 2025 TCM Loony Weekend

I am running the Twin Cities Marathon Weekend Loony, which means on Saturday, October 4th I am running a 10K race at 7:15am and a 5K race at 8:45am. Then on Sunday, October 5th I am running the Twin Cities 10-mile race which goes from downtown Minneapolis to the State Capitol in Saint Paul. 

On Sunday, after racing, I will go home, take a quick shower, get on my bike and cheer on my friends who are running the full marathon!! Go Run Minnesota and Team Fleet Feet!

Goals & Intentions for the weekend & the races

• Enjoy myself
• Feel my feelings
• Stay calm
• Lots of deep breathing and meditations
• Play with Sam, my dog and laugh with friends – before and after the races
• Sleep 8 to 9 hours every night, that means bed and asleep by 8:30pm or 9pm as I’m getting up early on Saturday and Sunday
  • Take naps on Thursday and Friday, I took these days off from work.
• Eat super clean and healthy
  • No gluten, very little sugar, no eating out
  • Lots of veggies, protein, fruit – enjoy what I do eat! 
• Keep blood sugars above 80 mg/dL and below 200 mg/dL
• Listen to my body – I have a very wise body
  • If it gets hot and muggy, really, really listen
  • If the pain gets intense, feel it and learn from it
• Breathe, Believe and Beyond – mantra for all 3 races – thank you Coach Danny Docherty for these three words.
  • Breathe – for each race, don’t go too fast as it starts, breathe into my body
  • Believe – in my training and in this body. I am fit. I am strong. I can do these races. Yes, it’s new, AND I can do it!
  • Beyond – go ahead and push! Especially on Sunday during the 10-mile. I have reserves. 
• Remember I am deeply connected to my run friends, I belong
• Thank my body for taking on this athletic challenge despite living with type 1 diabetes for 44.5 years and navigating my third round of breast cancer. 

Detailed Daily Plans

Friday, October 3

Sleep in a bit. Make sure I have slept 8 – 9 hours.

Breakfast: chia, protein powder, walnuts, flax seeds, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, cinnamon with berries and bananas.

Snack: yogurt with tart cherries

Lunch: Mushroom soup with baked tofu with delicata squash

Snack: toast with tuna salad

Dinner: Tofu/veggie stir fry with rice

Snack: cottage cheese with tart cherries

All day long, hydrate with LMNT (at least 2 packets) and Nuun. 

By 1pm, change my insulin site on my insulin pump so I have fresh insulin for the races. Make sure my continuous glucose monitor is working well. 

At 2pm, get on my bike and bring my After Gear Bag for Sunday to the Expo to get my race number. To bike from my apartment to the Expo is about 4 miles one way. Bike with care and with zero speed. Enjoy the ride.

3pm: meet up with Jenny and other athletes to wander around the Expo and talk to people and take some selfies. 

4:30 pm Bike home and take Sam for a walk. Keep hydrating. 

Organize one last time all my run gear, nutrition, hydration for two races tomorrow. 

Eat dinner and my snack. 

Be in bed by 8pm, lights off by 8:30pm.

• Charge my Garmin watch
• Make sure GymBoss is charged
• Charge my insulin pump

Saturday, October 4

5:00 am – Wake up, meditate, hydrate with LMNT, eat breakfast, walk and feed Sam, get dressed, gather up all gear.

• Breakfast: chia, protein powder, walnuts, flax seeds, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, cinnamon with berries and bananas.
• Remember: GymBoss, all nutrition, race number, small water bottle

6:10 am – In car, drive to parking ramp (takes 10 minutes to drive there)

• Parking ramp is the Centennial Parking Ramp which is free and near the capitol which is where the start is.

6:45 am – Meet run pals for a pre-10K photo

7:15 am – 10K starts

Goal time: 1 hour 15 minutes – that’s about a 12 minute pace

8:45 am – 5K starts

Goal time: 40 minutes – that’s about a 12 minute + a bit pace

The big issue is how will the heat impact me. I have a hard time with heat. I will have a cooling bandana around my neck to wet at the water stops. Hopefully all the hydrating I will do will help. Plus good sleep. 

Note from Coach Danny: Dew Point between 50 – 54 is ideal. If dew point is 55 – 60 adjust pace by about 1%, which means go 5 – 10 seconds slower per mile. Hoping for a low dew point both days.

After races, drive Jenny home. Drink KaChava protein recovery shake in car. Go to the Farmer’s Market. Then home to shower, prep for Sunday’s race. Stretch, nap and of course walk Sam. Plus eat well!

Here’s my Saturday eating plan: 

Lunch: sesame balls from Farmer’s Market, scrambled eggs with kale

Snack: toast with baked tofu

Dinner: Tofu/veggie stir fry with rice (I love eating left overs!)

Snack: cottage cheese with tart cherries

In bed by 8pm, lights out by 8:30pm

Sunday, October 5

4:30 am – Wake up, meditate, hydrate with LMNT, eat breakfast, walk and feed Sam, get dressed, gather up all gear.

• Breakfast: chia, protein powder, walnuts, flax seeds, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, cinnamon with berries and bananas.
• Remember: GymBoss, all nutrition, race number, small water bottle

5:15 am – Drive car to place I will leave car. (Arundel St & Portland Ave)

5:45 am – Get picked up by Jenny and Bob and drive to race start.

6 am – turn down my insulin pump to LONG basal profile. Eat a snack if needed.

6:30 am – Meet run pals at the Viking Ship for a pre-race group photo

7:00 am – 10 mile race starts

Goal time: Under 2 hours. Lots will depend on the heat & humidity levels.

After the race, walk back to the car. Go home, shower, walk Sam. Drink protein shake. Grab snacks. Wait for Jenny to arrive. Then bike to Run Minnesota Cheer Zone and then bike to mile 24 to watch for marathoners in our group. 

Celebrate! Head to Dual Citizen to celebrate with everyone! Thanks for reading! I appreciate it.