I now have plans set out for race day attire, hydration, and fueling. I’m still working on nailing down a race morning timeline that will get me to the start-line shuttle buses well before dawn ready to put forth the best performance I can.
But, the biggest thing I still have to determine is an appropriate race pacing strategy to best achieve my goals. These are my primary goals:
1) Arrive at the start line uninjured (I know this doesn’t depend on pacing, but it will still be a major achievement for me)
2) Complete the race with a Boston Qualifying time (Everything after this is really just gravy – or icing, depending on your preference)
3) Enjoy the thrill of testing my body and will against the marathon distance.
One of the many things I really like about training using the Focus-n-Fly program is the support and availability of coaching. For a big goal race like this I really like the fact that I can bounce my plans off an experienced coach. It not only prevents me from being unrealistic and overzealous at times, but it also gives me confidence that my training and racing strategy are solid and give me my best shot at achieving my goals. So, hopefully, Tom will have a half hour sometime this week to review this with me (I figured putting him on the spot here would make it a sure thing).
So, with just 3 runs left before the big one it feels like I’m really going to make it to the starting line this time! I’ve been running my track workouts with relative ease the couple of weeks, so I feel that I’m ready for the race. But, I also know that anything can happen. That’s why I’ll be focusing the next six days on staying healthy, getting plenty of rest, and preparing for anything that might try to derail me from racing.
I look forward to writing one more time with great details about a successful experience up in Napa.