As I think about it, I suppose this isn't really my first-ever trail run. Most of the tris I've done have had the run either completely or partially on trails. I can't say they were very technical trails, though, and while I don't expect a super-technical trail tomorrow, I don't expect a pretty much flat path through the woods, either - more like a hiking trail. I guess. At this point, I have three main questions, none of which I'll really know the answer to until after the race.
The first is - how do I dress for this thing? It's supposed to be cool and on the windy side, which alone isn't an issue. Today was cold and on the windy side, and I'd probably wear a little bit less than I did today for a longer, harder run on roads or on the local trails. But will that be right for tomorrow? I usually wear tights - is that a stupid idea? Will there be snags that might make them a liability? Would sweats, which I loathe, actually be LESS of a liability? Somehow, I think not. I suspect the pace will be considerably slower than a road run - so, should I dress more warmly? Or will more challenging terrain make up for the lesser pace? The only answer really is, wear what you think is best and be prepared to shed and carry a layer/accessory or two as needed.
Second, what on earth do I eat before the race? I don't usually eat much before I run because having much of anything bouncing around in my stomach makes me nauseous, and I'm really not a big fan of nausea. So I tend to do either a sports drink or shot blocks before/during a run that approaches/exceeds around 2 hours. However, I also usually run first thing in the morning, and this race doesn't start until 11 am (WTF???). So, I'm not going to get away without some sort of breakfast. I'll probably go with cereal and hope for the best.
Finally, and most importantly - did I prepare adequately? My only goal is to finish the thing, and I am heading out there figuring that even if I have to drag my ass over the finish line in a sling, I WILL finish, but it would be nice to come out of it feeling as if I did a half decent job getting ready for this with but a half-assed notion of what to do (run hills, run trails, lift weights). And so, we shall see!
Yesterday I did a fun workout at the gym. I have been looking at the RDR book, thinking about my next strength rotation. I didn't want to do a killer workout so I picked out a bunch of unfamiliar exercises that I think I'd like to put in my program at some point and gave them a test drive. I'm so glad I did that because a couple of them really didn't work out well, spatially, in the gym, so what I may do is sub them in on days I do my strength work at home. (Truth: I actually expect to freeform a bit when I do strength workouts at home, subbing in slightly different exercises or kettlebell exercises with similar movement patterns, just because somethings are harder to set up at home, and frankly there's better safety equipment at the gym.) Anyway, I plan next week as a recovery week (by some miracle, I have no exams, so it's a school recovery week, too), so I have plenty of time to sort things out a bit more.
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