Last two days until Colchester Half Marathon

Friday

I spent a brilliant afternoon sewing and crafting yesterday. I applied the same discipline I think I will need for Sunday's race to make sure I did the best job I could. 

First, I resisted the urge to storm out of the starting gate and end up making a mistake. 

Secondly, I had planned ahead and not only had my equipment and supplies but I had thought about the result I wanted. 

Then I settled down and steadily worked my way through the four hours we had been allocated to make our boxes. 

I noticed several people who didn't check things as they were going and cut things out wrong or had the wrong material for the job and had not used things like the glue we had or had not thought about how to hand stitch. Then some started packing away before the end of the class. I resisted the urge to act like a sheep and sat patiently stitching and lo and behold I finished my box by the end of the class! 

Too perfect? Well, ok, I have to admit that despite my best efforts I had managed to pack my big scissors only to have to use them and then forgot to put them back. Lesson in humility learnt! (i.e. don't forget safety pins on Sunday)

So my goals for today are:

• wash race clothes
• make race plan and go over route
• check Garmin and heart rate monitor

Wash race clothes

As you cannot use fabric conditioner on most sports wear, I have recently been adding Dettol to my machine as I find it gives a fresher finish, and hopefully a more bacteria free result. Disclaimer: I am not affiliated to any products mentioned and have paid for everything I review myself.

Make race plan and go over route

Making a plan is easy - sticking to it not so but here goes:

• do not rush at the start, slow and steady building up rhythm and pace as I go
• eat a pretzel or dried date every 20 minutes or so
• mile 5 use a caffeine energy gel to kick in an hour later
• start quickening pace from mile five 
• save a little to be able to sprint at finish (coz you will be watched and photographed - see next point)
• have fun that means keeping an eye out for photographers so you can at least look like you are enjoying yourself
• live in the moment that means have a look about you and take note of what you are doing rather than disappearing into the zone the whole way round. 

Check Garmin and heart monitor

I washed my heart rate monitor strap and having recently done a major reset on my watch I will make sure it is on the right settings.

That's my day sorted!