the best laid plans

it's race week once again!

it's boston marathon monday - which means that i'm glued to my tv and just about every social media outlet providing updates and live coverage of the race.  there are numerous friends that i'm following who are competing at this iconic marathon today, including (and here's my shout-out!):

• erin barrie (of the barrie roadrunners) - bib #16673
• sherman lam (of team running free) - bib #5681
• vicar li (a fellow skechers performance canada brand ambassador) - bib #2957
• stefan albinsson (a salming brand ambassador) - bib #4596
• sage canaday (elite ultramarathoner) - bib #28

the london marathon will be run this weekend as well - another world marathon major, and one of the most exciting races of the year for me.  they consistently put together one of the most competitive fields available, which means fast paces and awesome rivalries.

but for me, my focus will be on sunday's waterloo marathon - my first big race of the 2015 season, and an event that i've never run before.

to this point i've had a great series of months in training, following the Hansons Marathon Method.  i've tried to incorporate some new elements into my preparation for this race, including a tempo-finish long run, and fat-loading as part of my taper.

time to for at least one more new thing to try before reaching the starting line - and that's to post my goals.

like many runners who invest months (if not years) of focus before putting their legs to the test, i have the tendency to second-guess my ability and readiness.  as such, in the past i've kept my cards close to my chest and not shared broadly what i hope to accomplish in any given run. 

but you know what - i wanted to freshen things up for myself this year, so here goes nothing.

as is often recommended i have set three goal levels (as there are so many things that can happen over the course of 26.2 miles):

• 'A' goal - finish in the top 3 for my age-group
• 'B' goal - finish with a 3:10 time or better
• 'C' goal - run a negative-split.

this is big step for me - i'm confident of my conditioning, that i've exercised sufficient mental discipline to see my training plan through, and now it's just about believing that i'm as good as i can be.  just recently i read an older article about the frame of mind that sets many elite athletes apart - they carry an unshakeable sense that they're entirely capable of winning the races that they enter.  and since running (especially distance running) is arguably more mental than physical - my friend and running sensei jim repeatedly reminds me that 'running is 90% psychological and the other 10% is in your head' - i believe that i'm ready to rock the waterloo marathon.

to all of you who have shared your support on facebook, twitter, dailymile, strava and by email - not to mention those who have logged miles with me in training - thank you so very much.  i promise to make you proud!

#GOlikeneverbefore

the best laid plans