Winding down now.
A pretty tough day, nothing much to do so I went to the sports track for a final interval training session, putting some sprints and quick laps in. A normal walk wouldn't have been much help on the training I've already done, so some sprints to get some pain into the muscles ten days before the start can only be good, although I was very careful to try and avoid any kind of injury at all. Any twinge anywhere and I pulled up, stretched and continued. You get a little paranoid when the big day is approaching, especially when people announce they think they might be "coming down with something" Months of training being flushed down the pan because of a sniffle on the day must be frustrating to say the least. A friends masseur was at the track as well, so managed to get a quick work down on the legs, and got into the sauna/icy plunge pool a few times, so at the moment feeling very relaxed although rather weak. I just hope I'm okay to drive back to Ulverston tomorrow.
So now's the time to start making up excuses, although feeling pretty good, the abductor in the left leg only twinges occasionally and only then when not warmed up properly. Pretty much the same with all niggly bits, get warmed up properly and should be okay. Thanks to the race walking I've been pounding out 20k's at nearly 7mph without much comeback, so no excuse there. Equipment checks okay, the food and nutrition seems to work, although into the unknown second half of the race is always a lottery, but quietly confident. I failed miserably on that part last year and still did under 17 hours, so finishing apart, my goal of improving on last year should be achievable, and hopefully knocking on the 16 hr door.
All in all, apart from any unforeseen circumstances (Pauline's thunder mobile is checked and passed ready to drive up the sloc this year) then I have no excuse for improving on last year, and as I've always stated, if I beat last years time I'll be here next year. I'm still possibly overweight for this type of event, my current fat weight is 1st 10lbs, down on the near 2st of last year, but still 10lbs over ideal weight, but that's been down to the type of training I've done. My coach says that I need a little fat to burn on the way round, but as a pound of fat contains 3500 calories and I'll only need less than 8000 with the nutrition taken on board, maybe a little overstocking. Whatever, if I fail to improve, no excuses, it's been great, but time to slink off into retirement.
I've read the rules about team entries and I think the relevant section is the following;-
To enter your team, add your team name when entering or by updating your entry to include the team name. It is important that all four of your team enter by the closing date and have the team name (spelt the same in each case) on SPORTident's entry database.
So, reading correctly, all four of us entered before the closing date, and the team name has been updated on SPORTidents entry database, so for the first time I'm in a team, it's just that it's not in the programme. Hopefully reports of the team doing well can spur me on, as well as all the other incentives I set up to keep me going.
The frustrating period is coming now, you can guarantee I'll get days off when the sun's shining or friends are going up a mountain we haven't done yet, and I'll have to stay relatively immobile, doing a few stretches and checking and rechecking equipment. This time next week though, I'll be on the island looking up old friends so not long now.
Also, I'm just starting to feel nerves creeping in. Hopefully this year will be the best, not just for me, but for everyone. At least ten people are capable of breaking the 16 hour mark, all being well, and there are always a few surprisingly good times from outside the favourites, so maybe a memorable Parish is in store. A lot depends on the weather, and reports are coming in already, although possibly warm and sunny with chances of clouds and rain don't help much. More by the weekend.
Time for rest now, resist the urge to get the trainers on and knock out a quick 10 miles.
Night Night.
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