Mantra
My mantra for this race is Test Your Fitness. That's the purpose of this race in my training plan for Marine Corps. I want to remind myself that this isn't a training run. I can be a bit aggressive, push my pace, see what I can do.
Goals
Ideally, I would like to PR (personal record) at this race. My current PR is 2:39:34, from the Philly Half Marathon. I created a pace guide for a 2:37 finish (11:59/mile) to help me keep track of where I am during the race.
My other goals are to enjoy the race and to remain injury-free. While a PR tomorrow would be nice, I don't want to jeopardize MCM. I would take a DNF (do not finish) tomorrow over a DNS (do not start) at MCM. So I will listen to my body carefully tomorrow - discomfort is okay, pain is not.
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| My pace guide for tomorrow. It will be in my vest pocket inside the tiny ziploc. UPDATE: I totally didn't use this. During the race I realized it was *much* easier to just calculate 12 min/mile in my head. Duh. |
Course Guide
Usually I would break a course down mile-by-mile, but there isn't a whole lot of variety on this course. Here's my broad assessment:
- Mile 1
- Out & back along Independence Avenue - scenic!
- Miles 2-6
- Around East Potomac Park (aka Hains Point, backwards from how I usually run it)
- Past West Potomac Park
- Capped with a jaunt past the Lincoln Memorial
- Miles 7-12
- Out & back on Rock Creek Parkway (turnaround a bit before the National Zoo)
- Capped with a short out & back on just the tip of the Arlington Memorial Bridge
- Mile 13.1
- Another scenic trip along Independence Avenue, ending by the Washington Monument
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| The 2015 NAF Course (source) |
Race Plan
- Carry my own water so I can drink on my own schedule
- Take GUs at miles 3, 6, 9, and ~11.5, and bring a 5th one just in case
- Follow 3:1 run:walk intervals
- Run conservatively through mile 6 and then progressively pick up the pace
Wish me luck!
GOOD LUCK!!
ReplyDeletethank you!!!
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