Self-doubt fighting Self-confidence, the night before

So here I am, just 16 hours away from my first Ultra, and waiting the time out at the Saratoga Oaks Lodge in Beautiful Saratoga California. (It’s a charming town with tons of fantastic restaurants, tonight, for sure we’ll have some pasta and chicken – e.g. carbs and protein).

While driving here, I had the same not in my stomach as before every big long race/run.  A combination of excitement and adrenaline together with self-doubting and worry – what a great combination!

One part of you is saying “I’ve done this before”, though the longest I’ve run is 26.2 miles, not 31.1 miles or 50km.  I know what to eat, what to bring and how to pace myself.  The other part is saying “Oh no!  You have not trained enough and your injuries can do you in”.

I’m having a bit of a contest right now to see which injury is leading in the worry campaign: lower back pain from too much weight lifting to right shoulder (same) to IT-band left leg (been going on for a couple of months.  In the end, I know deep inside, that every time, I just manage to fight through these and finish despite what the body has decided to throw into the ring.

It’s so normal to have lingering and nagging injuries before the race. Kim just texted me a little while ago and said her foot was bothering her (new she said) and that she was sick (her son has been sick this week).  I have a feeling she’ll do fine and hopefully I will as well.

I’ve laid out all the things I need for tomorrow including but not limited to:

Shorts, socks, shoes, shirt (the 4 s’s (hah!)

Track suit

Camelbak

Number of gatorades, candy bars, nuts and granola bars and bananas

Long sleeve shirt to start maybe

Body glide, bandaids, blister pads, knee rub, advil, lip-balm etc.

Race time preictions, elevation chart etc.

Electronics – GPS watch, iPod with new songs, camera, etc.

And post race clothes, towels, bag, ID, phone plus plus

So, now its off for a little rest and then dinner and early try-to-sleep and get up early and head down tot he start around 730.  We have a goal time of under 5 hours (the cut-off is 8 hours and need to do 25km in 4 hours to avoid getting kicked off

In the words of several friends.  1) Have Fun.  2) Beee Happy.  3) Enjoy Every Moment  4) Go The Distance (OK that was from a movie with Kevin Costner!)

the course!

All for now and wish us all LUCK.