Just under two days to race time... am I ready? Well, er, no, not
entirely. Trouble is, you guys were right - I did
somewhat overdo the mountain stuff last weekend, and have spent the intervening time contemplating two rather tender patellas. Yes, the kneecaps have finally voiced their displeasure at my recent training methods. Not too serious, you understand, nothing that will stop me competing on Sunday morning, but a warning sign none-the-less.
Anyway, earlier today I completed my last treadmill training session prior to the race, and based on that I have to say I'm not exactly over-brimming with confidence at putting in a good time. The time doesn't
really matter that much, but it does mean I'll have to be really careful about not going out too fast and then not being able to get through the especially tough second half. Pacing will be an issue, as I haven't done enough road training to be able to really judge my pace that well, so I'll just have to be extra cautious for a bit.
Some of you will be pleased (and some will be horrified) to learn that I haven't had a beer now for 3 days, although to be honest I can't see how temperance is going to help any. But now that I've taken this course, I'll see it through to post-race Sunday, when I have a trio of special beers lined up for post-race celebrations
So at the moment I'm going through a kind of taper madness, fretting over things like which technique to use (proper race-walk, which is perhaps a little too fast for the distance - or a hybrid, which I can better control the speed of but is less efficient); whether or not to carry a water belt (I think not; it's just too uncomfortable with the hip-swinging of race walking); what kind of breakfast I should have and when to eat it; how I'm going to sleep the night before; whether to carry gels; where I'm going to park on the day etc etc. The usual stuff, but more so because it's going to be a tough day. I have visions of having to do a Seafront Plodder-style "stop and re-examine the reasons I'm doing this" at some nasty stage of the race... of which there'll be a few.
Crikey, if I keep going on like this I'll be talking myself out of it! I'm not sure if it's the taper that's doing this, or the lack of beer.
Anyway, not too much longer to go now.
Gulp.
November - Crunch Month
