Planning Race Day

With 7 weeks to go, and lots of holidays mixed in that time, I figure it's definitely time for some race-day planning. Food and clothing mostly.

I have hypoglycemia. That means my blood sugar is normally too low, which makes me irritable, disoriented, nausea, and I get headaches. If I eat something with too high a glycemic index - like bananas, pasta, toast, bagels - my sugar levels spike too quickly which makes me feel sluggish, extremely tired, irritable, and again I can get headaches. So all this carb loading the night before and eating bagles and drinking coffee the morning of a race... it doesn't work for me. In fact, it will do the exact opposite of what other runners say it does for them.

Up until now, I have gotten away with... gasp.... not eating at all before a run. I go out on an empty stomach in the morning or after having not eaten for many hours. I don't like the heaviness in my stomach, don't want to cause cramps and most of all, I have been afraid to eat the wrong thing. For races I have just gone with nibbling on a granola bar, and for triathlons I have done PB sandwiches.

So now I'm on the hunt for a healthy, lightly filling food that won't leave me feeling hungry but also won't spike my blood sugar. If PB sandwiches do it on a 1.5 hour triathlon course, then I'm thinking it might do it for the 1/2 marathon too.

Anyone else hypoglycemic? What works for you??
Also, I've heard good things about mixing gel packets with water. Have any of you done that and what's your feedback?

I only have 6 more long runs to figure this out.