Two more sleeps until one of my faves, Hinson Lake 24-Hour.
Holy cow, am I ready.
Tapered. Packed. Repacked. Cash in hand. 12-CD book checked out from the library. (Major nerd side note: If the by-far-most-frequently-used card in your wallet is your library card, you might be a nerd!!!). Visions of a tall stack of Blue Monkey pancakes from Little Grill Collective Friday morning breakfast dancing in my head, followed by about a 6-hour, couple-stops-to-do-some-yoga trip to Rockingham, N.C. Once there, it's get gas for the return trip, grab some Magic Hat No. 9, set up camp and then REALLY start to freakazoid out. That's where the Magic Hat will help. And the other campers, too.
My goal: 100.3 miles. That's 66 laps of the 1.52-mile layout.
The how: 36 laps in the first 12 hours. 30 laps in the last 12 hours.
The lap-by-lap set-up: 20 minutes a lap for the first half. And 24 minutes a lap for the second half.
The execution: I'm expecting to run most of the first two laps to shake out the nerves, and then employ the countdown timer. I'm gonna start with 4 minutes run/2 minutes walk for a lap and then see how close to 20 minutes I can get. And then adjust the ratios from there, if needed.
Weather says 79F/61F and possible thunderstorms. Sounds steamy. Good thing I've packed a bandanna to wet and tie around my neck. Aid station has everything that I need (dried fruit, Fig Newtons, Gatorade, water, Mountain Dew, ginger ale). I'm bringing along mint chocolate GU and beef jerky for backup just in case. And also the ginger chews.
I have my chair. And my lucky rain hat. And my thyroid meds. Three hats. And my patience. And as much toughness as I can muster in this, my 22nd year of ultra running. And lots of hope.
Limit the breaks, especially at night. Go slowly enough early after the 0800 start that I am still deciding when to run and when to walk once that Sunday morning sunrise happens.
If i do this right, I have a legit shot at 100.3 miles. Focus focus focus. My current PR for the 24-hour format is 90. By 0800 Sunday, I'm hoping to have a rock-solid "WAS" to put with that 90.
Two. more. sleeps.
Bring. it.
