Fuel
- Breakfast 3 hours out: oats or toast, familiar, nothing new.
- Gel at 40, 70, 100, and 130 minutes. Set lap alerts.
- Water every station. Sport drink every other, if your gut knows it.
- If you miss a gel, take the next one. Do not double up.
Sunday, October 25
Race day
Even to negative. The first three miles are the only ones you are allowed to run slow on purpose. After that, 9:05 is the whole job.
| Mark | Clock | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 28:10 | 9:05 |
| 10K | 56:20 | 9:05 |
| 15K | 1:24:30 | 9:05 |
| Half | 1:59:00 | 9:05 |
| 20 mi | 3:01:40 | 9:05 |
| Finish | 3:58:00 | 9:05 |
How to run it
1–3
9:12–9:15
Hold back. Crowds lie. Let people go.
4–13
9:05
Settle. Sip, gel, stay tall.
14–20
9:05
The work. Same effort, same math.
21–24
9:00–9:05
If the tank is there, squeeze. If not, hold.
25–26.2
whatever is left
Shorten the stride. Eyes up. Finish.
If-then
- Hot: stay 9:10 through 16, then reassess. Pride is not a cooling strategy.
- Stomach: switch to water only, walk the next aid station, resume 9:05.
- Cramps: shorten the stride, drop the arms, keep moving. Do not stretch in the road.
- Fade after 20: 9:15 is still a 4:01. That is not a failure. Hold form.
Morning
- Wake 3.5 hours before the gun. Coffee if you always drink coffee.
- Kit you have already raced or long-run in. No new shoes.
- Pin the bib the night before. Extra gel in the pocket.
- First three miles at 9:12–9:15. Let the impatient go. You will see them again.