Its the marathon weekend. You have trained hard for this one big kid moment over the last 16 weeks. Now all there is left to do is to get to the starting line and go chase whatever dreams that you have promised yourself. Its your race, your moment.
This year it is these Bakti boys’ moment. Daud & Hashim. Puad & Azhar are not in the picture.
I have written here and here, about race week preparations, in terms of fuelling, resting and recovery and getting to the starting line in comfort with everything you need for the 42
Over the years I have come to perform certain things for this last stage of my preparation. I call these my rituals. Most of these things are practical but some are whimsical bordering on madness. I am sharing these here.
Day before the race
- Trim the toenails. Over long distance, long sharp toenails cut into my toe and hurt during foot strike.
- Trim the eyebrows. I tend to grow some errant curly strands that are long. Sweat beads will roll down these errant strands and drip salty stingy sweat into my eyes.
- I do not shave my cheeks. I have always run the marathon with unshaven cheeks. Who shaves on Sundays? In the past several years though, I have taken to run with a moustache ala Steve Prefontaine, only the bravest go for broke each time he runs, kind of runner.
- Can I write manscape here? It is my blog so yes.
- Read a few chapters of Murakami’s What I think about when I think about running’ The book that got me running marathons.
- Lay out my gear so that I have all I need to take.
- Eat one, perhaps two prata with eggs and onions. Simply because its delicious.
- Grind coffee beans for the early race day morning espresso. I do not want to wake the neighbours that early
Last year with my Prefontaine Tache,
Kit laid out. Wear your most comfortable kit. Nothing new.
Race Morning
- Make and enjoy my espresso with race day breakfast of one half boiled egg, a peanut butter and jam sandwich.
- Wear an old t shirt over my race gear to the starting line. To keep the cold out. At the starting line, old t shirt goes into the bin.
- Then I go. Let us GO!