Suffering in real time

Sportstats will be providing live updates for Around the Bay on Sunday, and I've signed up for the hell of it. If you visit my Facebook page on Sunday the 25th you'll be able to see just how long it's taking me (bib # 3342) to make it between checkpoints, and how badly I'll fade in the last 10km of rolling hills. They'll also be posting updates to their own Facebook page with impressive times for the pointy end of the field - I'm told that Dayna Pidhoresky and Reid Coolsaet will both be racing, and it'll be humbling just to be on the same course as such amazing Canadian stars.

Looks good on paper.

Stopped by Runner's Choice in Waterloo last night to pick up a couple of gels, since I've only got 3oz left of EFS Liquid Shot - not enough to get me through what will assuredly be more than 3 hours of hurting. I was hoping for a couple of Chocolate Raspberry Roctane, but they were out so I had to settle for Blueberry Pomegranate (which was coincidentally on sale at half price because they're about to expire; score!). Inauspicious, since the last time I used it was at the Waterloo Marathon last spring; that was a sufferfest, and a combination of under-training, weather (9c, damp and windy with heavy rain from kilometer 26 to 35) and some bizarre circumstance that left my quads feeling like I'd shattered a glass rod in each one after the very first downhill (less than 2km in) left me 8mins over the time for which I'd hoped. In any case, I know the Blueberry-Pom Roctane works for me and I know I can't miss my ATB goal time; I don't have one!

Goal? Don't die.

So I'm currently deep in the throes of my traditional pre-race panic, with vision of both glory and utter defeat running through my head in random oscillations. I've rested a lot this week, but the injury has played up a bit since my poorly planned 18km run last Saturday and for some reason my thoracic spine is really giving me the business - I just hope to finish without hurting myself. The weather is currently projected to be 17c with variable clouds, which is a little warmer than I'd like but much better than the 26c we had yesterday - in any case, I'll be putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it! Depending on how silly I'm feeling on race morning, I may even bring my Blackberry along for the ride and post some updates of my own..

If you're out on the course on Sunday, look for the bint with blonde braids (and most likely my ill advised racing kit) and say hi!