Monday, May 5, 2008

What to do the week of a big race

I always get the jitters during the week leading up to a big race. I have been looking forward to Ice Age almost from the moment I finished it last year. I want to see what I can do if I run it the way I should run it (without my mental lapse where I was almost crying like a baby and entertaining all of the bad thoughts during a "crash").

I found out that Steve messed up his ankle, which will put a downer on the weekend. There is nothing worse than not being able to run when you have trained your body for a great performance.

I have a major challenge this week. I have to fly to Cincinnati in a few hours for the whole week for a "crew drive" and "sales blitz". I will be with Coke guys early every day in a competitive sales contest. The big challenge will be the after 5pm events. Since I am new to the company, I need to be seen as a part of the team. But, I can't afford to be partying every night and only getting a few hours of sleep. I am the only guy with a 9am flight on Friday. Everybody else booked a later one so they can have "fun" on Thursday night.

Oh well, the sacrifices runners make. I just hope the sales drive does not physically wear me out.

On a good not, this will be a good distraction from the upcoming race.

All I am predicting now for a time is under 9 hours. I would like to do 8.5, but I will have to see how I feel after the first half.

Anybody interested can click on the Ice Age link to the right and check on the "webcast" on Saturday to see how we all are doing.

Probably the last post before the race.

Any good rituals you all do before a race?

5 comments:

keith said...

I usually rituallistically put all of my gear on the kitchen table and make sure it's all there.

The sales guy you work with seems like a lot of sales people I've met over the years. Why is that?

Don't give in to the Peer Pressure!!!

Wayne said...

lots of vitamin water!

SteveQ said...

My prerace ritual involves a belltower and a rifle. Maybe I should rethink it a little.

Runnin-From-The-Law said...

Good luck this weekend! Hope you were able to get some rest this week.

GRIMEYRUNNER said...

get plenty of sleep, avoid injury - no stairs, no rocky paths - you never know when you might roll an ankle. Don't travel excessively. Only one beer a day.
You're screwed!