Gettin' Ready

[Rumble], [Rumble], [Rumble]

Where the heck did I put that...

[Rumble], [Rumble]...

[CRASH!]

Ah, here it is..

"100m Checklist"

Now, let's see what's on this thing.

• "Running Shorts"
  
• check
• "Socks"
• got 'em
• "Singlet"
• uh...ok...I guess
• "Track spikes"
• uh?!?
• "Starting blocks"
• what the f...

Oh no! That's 100 METERS!!! Now what am I going to do? I was supposed to have everything together and just be chillin' by this time, waiting for the start. Now I have to actually organize myself for a 100 miler less than 2 days before the start.

...

Actually, I wish I had even that lame an excuse. The truth is I have just been really lazy about getting my stuff together. I originally planned to do it last weekend and have a whole week to get in the "oh yeah...I also need X" realizations. However, I am going to end up doing it all tonight. I did get at least a shopping trip in last night to pick up a few out-of-the-ordinary items that I wouldn't usually bring to a race. The most important items include Vanilla Ensure which I have used post-race before, but recently tried during TRT50 and liked it. In the unlikely event that I have stomach problems (or just want some liquid calories late in the race), I will have these in a couple of drop locations. Also, I have a four pack of my very important, secret weapon, Red Bull! I have been keeping my normally astronomic caffeine intake to a minimum this week in order to help feel the extra kick when I need it during the race. Other than that, I have my normal stuff that I just need to organize and put into the proper bags. I haven't really followed plan this week though. I didn't get to the gym to do even do the easy stationary cycling I had planned. I haven't kept my eating under control and I am up a couple pounds. I did, however, manage to get a really good sports massage on Tuesday night and I did my "Yoga for Athletes" workout last night. I do feel very rested and all my ligaments, joints and muscles feel very good.

In a way, I have been pretty lackadaisical this week. I think this is part of my response to big events like this where I kind of fall into a mode of actual lower stress as the event approaches. I used to feel this way in college during finals. As things got close and I just couldn't bring myself to study any more (not that I was the most avid studier to begin with), I would eventual reach a state where I would just be like "oh well, nothing I can do now but show up and see if I really learned this stuff." I feel pretty much like that right now as there is really nothing I can do, but get everything together and "show up and see if I am really ready to get this thing done."

The other thing that always happens to me as I get close to a big race is that my mind starts focusing on "what's next" beyond that race. It's sort of a self-distraction mechanism. Right now I don't have anything scheduled until Firetrails 50 in October. That's too far off to really distract me. I have nothing for September. So, here is what I am thinking. If all goes well this weekend (when all goes well this weekend...) I am thinking of heading to the Grand Canyon in September to do an R2R2R run. It will likely be the middle of the month as I have to be in Japan the first week of Sept. So, anybody want to join me? Planning will begin sometime after my body and mind recover from 100 miles.

Maybe it doesn't sound like I'm "gettin' ready" as much as I should be, but in my head I think I have it all together. In fact, I can see the Sunday morning finish line like its right in front of me.