Good luck beating Oprah! Whether I come in under my goal time of 4:20 will probably be directly related to number of restroom breaks. My 18 mile run was on pace for 4:15 with zero restroom breaks. My 20 mile run had two breaks and was on pace for 4:25. How do you feel for this weekend?
Thanks, I have some trepidation about Sunday, but it's too late to do anything to prepare beyond sleeping and eating well and staying healthy. My habit of signing up for long distance running events, while doing little running on other days, is probably not ideal. Waste management will be a concern. One of the benefits of trail running is that when Nature calls, Nature is right there. I sometimes worry about carrying too much water more than running out. At the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon, I saw lines at porta-potties on the course. I'll do my best to cut weight before the start, but there's no way I will be standing in a line after the clock starts. The plan this year is to give up my intention to run every step, instead taking walk breaks now and then to recover and eat and drink. I might try to keep the 4-hour pacer in view as long as possible. For the first few miles I expect to be stuck at the crowd's pace anyway.
That's consistent with my plan. I've been walking when I get water since I started with halfs, and I've find on my long training runs that walking a bit is ok. If I don't feel I need water, I'll stop for Gatorade anyway just because I want to walk for twenty seconds. My run should have a 4:20 pacer. I'm going to run with them. I ran with the two hour pacers a year ago, and it was great. They didn't slow down for water, but that was ok. I just caught up with them over the next half mile and then stuck with them until I needed water again. For my plan, 4:20 is a 9:55/mile pace. I think I'll feel good with a 9:40/mile moving pace, so that gives me about five minutes to work with to stick with the pace group. Do you carry your own water during the race? I have been on my training runs but look forward to using aid stations for the race. Standing in a line would be devastating. But, I do feel much better after stopping. I've never needed it in a half, but the long training runs have been mixed. I just need to pay close attention to my diet 48 hours ahead. No full bags of chips, no matter how much I want the carbs and salt. I think that's what got me last week.
I think I'll bring a hydration pack this time. It looks like it will be warm enough that I will want to carry fluid, but I don't want to be encumbered by a hand-held bottle or belt. I can almost ignore a pack half-full of water, and I'll use pockets for nutrition and grab sports drinks at the aid stations. Have to remember to bring electrolyte tablets and some ibuprofen too.