Raceday simulation

Tomorrow, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I wiil attempt to simulate the Virginia Beach Half Marathon.

I've mapped out a course that is more challenging than the VBHM. The plan is to go slow early at 9:15 for the first mile, then drop to a 9:00, then 8:45s after mile 2. This would have me at 1:37:00 at mile 11, or an 8:49 pace. With an 8:30 pace the last 2.1 miles, I will get under 1:55:00, 1:54:51 to be exact.

I ran 5 miles this morning at the Y simulating the first 5 tomorrow. I felt as good as I have in awhile. Time: 44:09. Total mileage to date this week: 23.5 miles. Lunch today was organic peanut butter and blackberry preserves on whole wheat bread, red grapes and watermelon, and water. Dinner tonight is a lasagna from friends Courtney and Greg Stevens. I'll snack on bananas and nuts and hydrate.

I won't be a talkative running partner, if Ann D. joins me, since I have put together a raceday mix on my iPod. Twenty-five minutes before the race, I'll stretch and warm up to Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, conducted by Leonard Bernstein and played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and The Natural by The City of Prague Philharmonic. I will visualize overcoming pain.

My racing music lineup, which is below, is designed to keep me from going too fast early, find a rhythm, and avoid accelerating until late. I've learned my lesson about saving energy. I've mixed in some tunes from Dori's iTunes mix, including my favorite, Right Down the Line by Gerry Rafferty. I'm open to suggestions to any tunes that fit in the genre (but not hyped-up tunes like for a 5K). Basically, anything smooth, strong and reassuring ... Let's hear what you got!

The Long Road - Mark Knopfler
Moving On - Dream Academy
Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
Follow You, Follow Me - Genesis
Big Log - Robert Plant
Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon
I Believe - Chilliwack
You're the Only Woman - Ambrosia (lay off, guys; at least it's not Air Supply or Eric Carmen)
Electrical Storm - U2
This is the Day - The The
Sowing the Seeds of Love - Tears for Fears
Brothers and Sisters - Coldplay
Policy of Truth - Depeche Mode
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
Night Fever - Bee Gees
Red Skies - The Fixx
What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy) - Information Society
What Have I Done to Deserve This - Pet Shop Boys
One World - The Police
Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Right Down the Line - Gerry Rafferty
Four short NFL Films tunes from The Power and the Glory
Three fight songs (my favorites): VU, USC and LSU (don't like LSU, just "Hey, Fightin' Tiger")
Home By the Sea - Genesis (the race finishes on the Boardwalk)