Friday: cut toe-nails

I'm just back from my last weekend run of the programme. This time next week I'll (hopefully) be at the finish line - it's now midday and the race starts at 8:30am on Sunday (and I'm glad I checked that on the website before I happily showed up for a 9am start...). My 8 miles this morning was fine - as it should be at this stage - I really did try to run at 10 minute/mile pace but it didn't feel quite right, and I kept settling back into around 9:45s, so if that's what feels comfortable for me on the day, that's what I'll be running at.

I'm getting very excited now. I haven't experienced any nerves or strange pre-race dreams involving a sweaty rush to the start line and then accidentally starting my race in flip flops whilst carrying all my food shopping - those will probably start in the next few days.

I've planned the final training week down to the smallest detail. This will look familiar to any marathon runner, and completely insane to other people:

Monday: rest day; hydration
Tuesday: 3 miles, easy; hydration
Wednesday: 2 miles, easy; hydration; make flapjack
Thursday: hydration; leave for south of France with flapjack and perfectly-ripened bananas
Friday: arrive in Barcelona; cut toe-nails; book pasta restaurant; hydration; quality sleep
Saturday: bib pick-up; start-line orientation; porridge-making arrangements with the hotel staff in my non-existent Catalan; lay running clothes out in order of dress; check alarm clock neurotically; hydration; try not to spend the whole day on my feet. This includes avoiding any decisions involving hundreds of stairs in the Sagrada Familia. Perhaps I can follow the example of my brother, who climbed the Eiffel Tower the day after we ran Paris.
Sunday: RACE DAY!

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