Sub-2, Take Three!

So tomorrow is race day. With the help of Coach Eric, I've been training since mid-November for Vancouver First Half aiming for a sub-2 half. I wish I could say that the back is fully recovered and that I was confident it won't be a problem tomorrow. It was stiff this morning, a little worse than Monday night, following a week of sitting at work. I had a spasm when I went to get off the couch with my morning coffee and it was a little tender during my swim. Movement is key though, so that's what I did all day. A little post-swim stroll around the market. Came home and did a short 3 km test run, my first in 10 days. Spun for a while on the trainer.

My test run was not the awesome confidence-building-reassurance-that tomorrow-will-be-fine run that I was hoping for. There was pain. There was tingling running down the right leg. It occurred to me as I was running that there's a possibility that if I stop for water or take a walk break to gel tomorrow, my back may seize up and I won't be able to resume running. So I started thinking about what my race day strategy might be. I can do 21 km in the pouring rain with no water. Heck, I can do 21 km on a dry day with no water if it's cool out. Come to think of it... I don't think I've hydrated during any of my long runs! As for the gel, if I feel like walking may keep me from running, well I'll just keep running - maybe try to gel on the go. But I can figure that out during the race. I finished my little 15 minute run with a few striders and those actually helped. Almost like a do-it-yourself ART. So, some warm-up striders are going to be a good thing.

One thing that surprised me today was my pace. Fast for me. I was averaging 5:31/km and telling myself to slow down but that's just where I was comfortable for the wee run I was out for. That could be the difference between what's comfortable now after 2-weeks of 1800-calorie averages per day (yes, yes, I know, I promised an entry on Thrive and my vegan experiment... it's coming!) vs all those weeks of 1100-calorie averages. So... am I feeling sure of sub-2 tomorrow? Not at all. Am I feeling sure of a PR tomorrow (better than 2:04:05)? Not at all. Do I think I'll at least finish? Really, how my back was today, it could go either way. But I'm certainly going to give tomorrow the best that I have in me tomorrow - and at the same time, listen to my body. My always supportive and wise Coach Eric sent me a note today reminding me to keep in mind that "most records (world or personal) are set when YOUR body is ready not when the race director picks a date for the event. Run hard but run smart, knowing you can PR when you are ready to PR."

Despite the flakey back and the forecast for tomorrow, torrential rain & wind (I mean really, who would pass up an opportunity to run in such stellar conditions?), I'm looking forward to a good long run and a post-run massage from my fabulous friend and RMT-in-training. No race-night Ben & Jerry's reward since I'm doing this vegan thing but I'll just have to think up another treat. Or find someone to make this for me. Tomorrow.