Race day draws nigh!

My spring half is this weekend, I am feeling all kinds of ways about it.

On the one hand, I managed to complete my training cycle with only a few hiccups. My last three long runs were 9-10 miles each and I only missed one workout in April. After a patchy March, it feels like I'm ending training on a high note and am as ready as I realistically could expect to be.

LOOK AT THIS BRAG-WORTHY CALENDAR!

I even got my last 10-miler done while on a weekend away, along an extremely hilly route. I have to give myself props for that one!

Some beautiful views on my Hansville 10-miler, despite the hills

On the other hand, my lower legs have been bothering me in one way or another since late March. Shin splints, ankle tenderness, calf tightness...it's like not warming up or stretching is catching up to me or something. KT Tape, compression socks, and Graston massage have made a difference, but I'm not sure what to expect on race day, and I'm trying to decide whether to wear tape or socks (or both).

Rocking the KT Tape

The race route is fairly hilly and it looks like we'll have a sunny, warm day from the start. I have no idea if there's any shade on the course, and the parking situation sounds a little complicated. Basically, there are a lot of reasons for my situational anxiety to rev up right now, so I am trying to remind myself of a few things.

I have run enough half marathons to know that my body will remember what to do on race day.

Nick and I are in this together, and there are hundreds of other runners whose lead we can follow with regard to parking, taking the shuttle, and all that jazz.

I have put in the work and have figured out my fueling strategy. 

I'm not new to running in the heat, even if it's not my favorite. I will get through it.

Goals are nice, but just crossing that finish line is an accomplishment, and it's okay if we have to take it slow.

At the end of the day, this is a chance to spend 2+ hours with a friend and earn another shiny medal.

Ready for more of this pain with my bestie!

I think Sunday is going to be pretty fun, all things considered. Despite some setbacks, I'm pretty excited for my second half of the year. It's been awhile since I've run more than one long race a year, and I'm enjoying getting back into consistent training. Simultaneously, I'm ready for a bit of a break, because training cycles can become a slog toward the end.

2026 is shaping up to be a year of races, and I'm not mad at it. Ask me if I'm still feeling that way Sunday afternoon.

Ali