Getting Closer

Thanks to everyone for all the encouragement! I've gotten blog comments, phone calls, emails, Facebook messages, IM's, and SMS text messages with words of encouragement for Saturday. I've even gotten a couple of in-person (Do we still know how to talk face to face these days?) comments. THANK YOU!!!

I'm excited! My legs feel great. The encouragement has boosted my confidence. The only real negative now is that I've probably overdone the "fueling" this week and will have an extra pound or two to carry, but oh well.

Here's my plan...

1. 9:00
2. 9:00
   
3. 8:30
4. 8:15
5. 8:15 (43:00 for 5 mile split)
   
6. 8:00
7. 8:00
8. 8:00
9. 8:00
10. 8:00
11. 8:00
12. 7:50
    
13. 7:50 (Hope to be around 1:47+ for the half split)
14. 7:50
15. 7:50
16. 7:50 (I've been crashing at 15 on my long runs that start too fast. Hoping to make it through that barrier Saturday with the slow start)
17. 7:50
18. 7:50
19. 7:40 (I hope I feel like speeding up!!!!)
20. 7:40
21. 7:40
22. 7:40
23. 7:40
24. 7:40
25. 7:40
26. Whatever I can manage!!!!

That's my plan for a perfect day. It's ambitious, I know. That'll put me home in sub 3:30, and gives me some wiggle room on those last few miles to still hit 3:30. That's ideal and I won't be crushed if I miss that. But that's my plan. Plans may change based on how I feel. I may split them all above 8, and I guess I'll have to live with that.

I've been told that I'm crazy for thinking 3:30 is possible for a first marathon. I've been laughed at for mentioning 3:30 as a potential goal. I hope to prove that wrong, but I was told that by a far more experienced runner, so there's probably a lot of validity to it.

That's my first goal. 3:30 on a perfect day. My second goal is 4:00. My third goal is to avoid the DNF.