HOT BUTTERED RUN HALF MARATHON RACE PREVIEW

This will be short, because like with anything to do with running lately, I'm half assing it. This race sounded like a great idea a month ago, and I suppose it has served its purpose of keeping me in shape in order to run it. However, now that it is hovering in front of me in the morning... not so excited. Supposed to be around freezing tomorrow when the race starts, so that's going to suck. Probably the coldest race I will ever run (will be close with Detroit).

Anyways, the good thing about the race is that it is a really flat course. We start in downtown Vancouver at Esther Short Park and then run out west along Lower River Road toward Vancouver Lake. There is about four miles of farting around downtown first, so those miles should hopefully fly by. Speaking of flying, we'll run by Pearson Airfield, which the race started at when I did it back in 2012. That place was nice because you were able to hang out indoors before the race. I remember it being really cold that year too.

The large out and back starts around mile 4 and we turn around at mile 7.65ish. So it shouldn't be too bad, I'm thinking I'll get to that point without hating life too much yet. Once we flip around, I'll be good for about a half mile, seeing all the people coming toward me I'm ahead of, then that novelty will wear off, and I'll hate life for about 40 minutes. Around mile 11 we split off and take a slightly different route back downtown. It is up Mill Plain Blvd, which I remember from the 12k a couple years ago. Slight hill to deal with there.

Once I conquer that mini hill, it should be smooth sailing into the finish. I've definitely lost my "marathon legs" so I expect the last few miles of this half to be challenging. Hopefully I'll have enough juice in them to finish strong though. Then comes the sweet, sweet relief of not running. Katie, who was going to run the race before getting sick, will be there spectating so I'll be able to hand a sweatshirt or something to her for the finish line. Once I drink my well-earned hot buttered rum, I'll likely head home and collapse on the couch for the rest of the day.

GOALS:

"A" Goal: Sub 1:45. I'm not nearly as fast as I used to be. I'll be very happy with this time given my current speed.

"B" Goal: Sub 1:50... if I can't hit my "A" goal, then I can accept this. Maybe I'm just not feeling it tomorrow. Maybe the cold air fucks with my lungs.

"C" Goal: Sub 2:00. Otherwise, barring injury, I'm quitting running.