Could you go without that bottle of wine tonight?

Red or white? Champagne. Really? Great. Oh, you like cider. Sherry? Whatever your tipple, how about giving it a miss, and drinking water instead. Just for one night. You will feel so good about yourself, not only for the health benefits, but because you are going to donate the price of that bottle of wine to my fundraising activities (please). You will feel positively saintly. Read on to find out why.

Your wine money is going to build toilets.  I am running the Bath Half Marathon, you and your friends are going to support me (yes, that’s right you are going to forward this link to all your friends too), and a school in Tamil Nadu will have toilets. You sponsor me by following this link and clicking on the Donate button. I don’t mind if you were going to have that special offer bottle, but I do so hope a few of you were considering a vintage wine.

If you don’t understand why you should help (until last year I had no idea how much difference a toilet makes), then I ask you please to just watch this video, and take look at why I was inspired to take up running.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

I’m starting to worry about race day

Planning.  The basis of securing a desired outcome.  I have done as much as I can so far, but race day is still going to be a leap into the unknown.  Or quite a few leaps really to get to the 13.1 mile point. I am working on the run/walking, but what about everything else.  Impatience at not having all the information is eating away at me (a bit).

My race day worries:

How long before the race do I need to be at the start point? Obviously I don’t want to be late and in a panic, but lots of waiting around, watching other runners limber up is going to unnerve me.

At what point should I go to the toilet? Big concern this one.  Trying to optimise the time available to go to the toilet, the potential queue and the complete emptying of the bladder. The more I think about the potential absence of a toilet, the more I think I need to go, my brain convinces me I have a full bladder even if the opposite is true.  Although I am worried about this – it does also make me feel grateful for the regular availability of toilets most of the rest of the time in my life – and then I think about why I am running the Bath Half Marathon in the first place.

When and what should I eat? I have been experimenting with food and running. Usually I go on an empty stomach, but I feel that a race that begins at 11am and will go on for a substantial length of time (for me) is not a no food event.  However, a breakfast of porridge followed by a midday run makes me feel like I am lugging around an extra half stone. Can I move the porridge to midnight? A very early breakfast, before I go to bed?

Image courtesy of Sura Nualpradid/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Drinks on the race course. Despite the bladder panic, I will need a drink, but how does it work. Are there so many people that a queue develops? What if I get propelled along in the crowd and miss my opportunity. Where do you need to position yourself to make sure you actually get a swipe at the drinks?

Vaseline – how much and where? Apparently I need this to prevent injuries from my clothes rubbing me, and I need it in all sorts of unmentionable places.  Should I get a family sized pot? Presumably this needs to be sorted out in the  privacy of my home before I get to the pre-race area.

Keeping out of the way. I know I am going to be lapped by the front runners.  Apparently the marshals will tell me to get out of the way.  Will I understand what to do in good time? The pictures all show great crowds of people running; it doesn’t look like there could be much room to move anywhere. I will follow the person in front and hope they are not new to this, like me.

What to do with my extra layers and bits and bobs? I don’t like to be burdened with stuff when running.  Water bottles, things round my waist.  It is distracting.  But if this weather continues I need to be wrapped up while I wait for the race to begin.  What to do with my extra layers? Can I station a family member at a strategic location and lob a piece of clothing at them as I trot by?

The race pack – what’s in it? What is the best way to secure my number to my top? Do you get two? Front and back? This thing that goes on my shoe lace – the timing thing –  how does that work……

I am sure it will be alright on the day, won’t it? Just so long as I don’t have to deal with the absent toilet problems encountered by fellow Wherever The Need runner Laura. Read it here!