Around the Bay Eve

"It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse."   - Ann Trason

Well, not much left now except the running and the suffering.  I've spent the day getting my stuff together for the race, thinking about the race, eating for the race. Tomorrow, I'll race, then spend the rest of the day recovering from the race. It's a weekend endeavour, really.

I've certainly eaten well today. Pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Booster juice shake as a snack. Whole wheat pasta, chicken and organic tomato sauce for lunch. A lovely piece of salmon, mashed sweet potatoes and brussell sprouts for dinner. And enough water to float a ship.

There's no such thing as taking it easy with two kids, so today was pretty much like any other Saturday. My older daughter had a birthday paper to go to and it was a skating party so I went for a little skate. Nothing too strenuous, just enough to get loose. Now I'm chillin on the coach, loading up the MP3 player with my favourite podrunners and a new, mostly-90s playlist with House of Pain, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine... high school, old school.

Now I haven't given too much advice in this blog but I have a few race keys based on my limited race experience.

1. Don't go out too fast. The first few kms are all energy and excitement and going out way above race pace is easy to do. The key for me will be to find my rhythm and pace and stick to it.

2. Feel the energy. While getting caught up in the excitement is a problem, it's still fun to feel the collective energy of thousands of fellow runners. I find it inspiring.

3. Walk and drink. My first few races I tried to keep running while scooping up the cup at the aid station and then drinking it down. I ended up wearing more and drinking less. I found that walking through the aid stations made it much easier...

4. Pose at the finish. My first few races I was kicking at the finish and forget that they are taking your picture as you cross the line. My pictures were hideous. Finally, I remembered to pose, opting for a tongue-out, devil horn rock fingers salute.

That's about it.

I feel ready. I think my 2:45 goal is wildly optimistic mind, but it's something to shoot for. I'm excited and nervous too. I know there will be suffering so it's tough to say I'm looking forward to it.

I'm looking forward to being finished. Regardless of my time, I'm eating pizza and drinking wine in celebration - I've been on the wagon for a month.

Well, good luck to all you other Bayers out there. I think I'll end with another quote, from a much better runner than I.

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."   - Jesse Owens