"Victory or defeat is not determined at the moment of crisis, but rather in the long and unspectacular period of preparation" - Winston Churchill
OK, so I don't want to surprise anyone, but if you're training for Mercedes, we only have 3 more weeks of training from this Sunday, and two of those weeks are taper weeks.YIKES!!!!
Soooooo, that means that Saturday is your 20 miler. You don't treat it any different than any other training run, just do it slow and steady. Like we'll do in the race itself, just break it down into small segments. Most water stops are about 2-3 miles apart, so that's a good segment. The purpose of the long run is not to see how fast you can get it done, it's just to be on your feet for several hours and build some much needed confidence.
If you can, try to wear the same shoes you plan to wear on race day. Unless you like surprises, it's a good idea to try everything out before race day. Something that feels good for a 5 mile run may turn into clothes from the devil at 16. It always continues to amaze me the things folks come up with as we get closer to marathon day. We all look for the "magic bullet" that will make this a walk in the park. You know what? - It ain't there. Hard work, sweat, and consistency with the whole process (training, clothes, food, fuel, rest, etc) is the ONLY way to assure success. Believe in yourself. If you've trained this far, and done well, then Saturday, or 3 weeks from Sunday, will be no different. You'll finish this long run and say "I couldn't have run any further than that!" Heck, that's what you say after a 5 mile, a 10 mile, or a 15 mile run. You set a mental goal, and your mind doles out the effort (mental and physical) to meet that goal. How many of you actually thought you'd get this far? Oh sure, you had the hope of being here, but the HOPE didn't do it. Hope is the teaser you hold on to until reality sets in. You did it by getting out there on Sundays, or Saturdays, and Mondays, and...all 150 of those days! You learned how to walk, write, read, play basketball, and now how to run marathons. Don't make it something it's not. It's a great physical accomplishment that you trained yourself for. Be confident in yourself. YOU are all you have to answer to. It's almost showtime, so lace up those shoes and I'll see you on the roads.
Now, pay attention: on Sunday, January 31st, we will run our 2nd trial run on the Mercedes Course from Boutwell Auditorium downtown (the Start Line) at 6:30am. If you missed the first Trial Run, try your best to get out there for this one. Many thanks to Monica, Val & Jeff and the Trak Shak staff for opening Boutwell for warmth & restrooms and providing Powerade, water, and Gu on the course. The last one was a real success. A course map can be found at www.mercedesmarathon.com . If you're doing the half marathon, then just return to Boutwell from 5 Points for 8.6 miles.
Hope you all have a good training week and I'll see you on the roads - AL
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
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