After I ran the 10-mile Broad Street Run this past spring and finished with a personal best, I was feeling pretty ambitious and decided a half-marathon was the next step. Over the past few years I have improved with each race I participate in, only competing with myself and doing my best to enjoy each mile. I’ve worn out several pairs of sneakers, have quite the collection of 5K race shirts, and have iPod playlists that can cover up to 2-hours of running, packed with songs that make me feel like I can conquer just about anything.

On the eve of my first half-marathon, all of those things that make me feel like an official runner seemed to slip my mind. My nerves were overwhelming and I couldn’t think of anything else without worrying about “the big race”; everything I ate, drank, the amount of sleep I was able to get, even the shoes I wore leading up to the half-marathon were all carefully thought out and well-planned. I was worried my performance would be a disappointment and started to wonder if I was naïve in thinking I could complete a 13.1 mile run in the first place.

Just as I was ready to convince myself that I would be better off as a spectator, cheering on Joe and the other participants, I remembered all of the other times I had pre-race jitters. Whether it’s the 2-mile Wildwood Sandblast, the 5K Roman Catholic High School Run, or my annual Broad Street Run, my stomach feels as if it has been on a never ending roller coaster ride. Somehow, though, as each event begins my body turns that uneasiness into useful energy and enthusiasm, and before I know it I have another race under my belt.

Most of my excitement during the run comes from the spectators that line the sides of the route; some of my confidence comes from my favorite running sneakers and my training plan, and all of my energy comes from my treasured pre-race pasta dinners. This recipe is light enough on your stomach to not conflict with your pre-race anxieties and loaded with carbohydrates to help you finish strong.

Pasta with Mushroom Sauce

Adapted from Serious Eats

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound of assorted mushrooms (cremini, Portobello, etc.), cut into large pieces
• ¼ cup sherry
• 1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
• ½ pound pasta
• ¼ cups Parmigiano-reggiano cheese, freshly grated
• Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are translucent. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil to the now empty skillet, turn the heat to high, and then add the mushrooms. Season with salt. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. As the mushrooms are cooking, start the pasta; cook until just al dente and drain, reserving about a quarter cup of pasta water. To the mushrooms, pour in the sherry and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, dislodging any browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the parsley and onion mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. Toss the pasta with the mushrooms, adding the reserved pasta water to thicken the sauce as needed. Sprinkle with cheese and season with salt and pepper.

This dish relies mostly on the combination of flavors that come from the selection of mushrooms you choose; I selected cremini, Portobello and oyster, and each offered a different strength of taste and texture. Initially, a pound of mushrooms seems like a lot but during their cooking time they reduce down to about half, which is more than enough to grab one or two pieces with a fork full of pasta. The mushrooms even work wonders with the slightly sweet sherry, producing a slight coating to the strands of pasta. Fresh parsley and black pepper add a dimension of freshness to the light sauce.

A few things are worth noting from my experience with this recipe. First, because the sherry contains alcohol be sure to remove your pan from the heat before adding it. If not, using a gas powered stove with a splash of alcoholic beverage will result in a dangerous situation that could involve a giant flame, a fire extinguisher and a lack of eye brows. If you’d like to omit the alcohol altogether, apple juice is a great substitute. Second, I used perciatelli pasta, which is like long tubes that are relatively thick and not too easy to twirl on your fork. I feel the dish would have been easier to eat had I used penne or rigatoni.

Whatever your choice of pasta, I guarantee you will enjoy the delicate mushroom and onion sauce that accompanies it. The recipe was good enough to help me take a break from being so nervous the night before the half marathon and, even better, it gave me the energy the next morning to actually complete the run. I can’t credit the dish for giving me the strength to finish, though; that came from our family and friends that cheered us on.

Casey Ann is a local foodie and blogger. Check out her recipes and reviews at www.cleanpl8.com.