Day 5, Week 14: My top ten ways to screw up your marathon. You're welcome.

This morning was the very last run on my training plan: a 3 mile marathon pace (9:20) run.  So of course I woke up and it was eighteen degrees and snowing and windy and I had to bust out a balaclava and I was all AWESOME BRING ON THE SNOW:

Yay winter!  Not really!

Just kidding.  Here's how I really felt:

I wasn't going to take large dog with me because of the cold and snow and all, but as I went to head out the door without him he gave me the biggest, saddest WOOOOO I've ever heard, so of course I had no choice but to hook him up and take him for a spin in the cold snow dark.

We only did three miles, but all his slobber was frozen to the front of him when we got back.  I think he'd say that a little frozen slobber was worth the trek out into the cold to drag me around and try to pull me into ditches.  This morning I got a bonus--he tried to make me slide on the fresh snow and fall down when we took corners.  Good times.  What I will do to ensure the safety of my drywall and baseboards.

Anyway, since my marathon is a mere two days away, I have been planning out what's going to happen--or not happen--over the next few days to ensure that my 4:05 goal time becomes a reality.  I feel good about my training, but so much other stuff can derail the potential fame and glory of hitting your goal time.  In fact, let me tell you some things you can tell yourself in order to be well-trained for your marathon yet still screw it up (and I know these things because I have said them to myself at some point):

1) "I won't eat breakfast; I'll just have some gels."
2) "I don't need hill training even though the first 17 miles of the course is a net uphill."
3) "I know it's hot but I won't bring any extra water with me."
4) "I know I'm running 30 seconds above pace and didn't train for this pace, but I don't think it will affect my performance at all."
5) "I don't really need to gel until at least mile 10."
6) "Taking food from random strangers on the course?  What could go wrong?"
7) "I think it's OK if I eat all these fiber-filled vegetables the night before the race."
8) "New shoes on race day?  Sounds like a great idea!"
9) "I'll try out that new breathing technique I read about in Runner's World during the race."
10) And last but not least..."This race is at altitude and I live in the Midwest?  Shouldn't be a problem."

Where are the learnings?  Oh, here they are:

• I screw up.  A lot.  S'kay, though-that's how you learn.
• Large dog is addicted to running.
• My solution to everything I hate is to shake my fist at it.  Sometimes one of my fingers is raised as well.
• Winter running.  Double buh.
• I love how in the very first pic of this post I look like a cut-out figure pasted on top of a background of my little shack of a house.

Tomorrow's workout: Walking around the race expo in Dallas where it will be NOT WINTER.