My next half is only 2 sleeps away! I am leaving for Ventura tomorrow morning. Half marathon #9 is on Sunday. 🙂
With my recent rough patch, I have readjusted my goals for this race. When I first signed up back in June I was hoping that the flat course would help with my goal of breaking 2:00 for a half marathon. While that would be amazing, I don’t feel I am in the position to do that right now. Frankly, I don’t think I should even try. So in an effort to be smart, I have a new goal this weekend- have fun. Plus this will be a race weekend of firsts-
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First race I travel to
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First race out of the county
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First time sleeping in a hotel in I have no idea how long
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First time eating dinner somewhere random pre race?
I am heading down tomorrow morning and dragging my mother along with me. We are planning on getting in some shopping at the mall before picking up my packet and checking into the hotel. I also don’t remember the last time I was in a mall. With those plans I will be breaking quite a few pre-race rules. Which helps the choice to just have fun. Now I would like to have fun and still be around 2:10 but it will all depend on how I feel. I ran that in SLO with hills, so fingers crossed.
I got off a few hours early today so I had plenty of time to pack. Packing is stressful! I am only going for 2 days/ 1 night and I feel like I am both packing too much and not enough. I have had my race outfit planned for a while but am still taking extra shorts and compression socks. Maybe I will change my mind? Who knows. I am looking forward to hitting the expo too. The race sounds like one giant beach party, so yay!
I also updated my playlist. I am in weird mood, so it is kind of all over the place. Some good stuff, some bad. 🙂 Headphones are discouraged but I am not at the point where I can run without music. The site recommends only running with one in and I already do that anyways. Plus I still like hearing Mr. Nike chime in with how I am doing. Yes, my Garmin buzzes but I like hearing it too. I tried to take a screenshot of it, but apparently I don’t know how to get the whole thing in one image, oops.
Fingers crossed!!!!
Hope everyone had a good Friday! Happy weekend!
Anyone else racing? Any other plans?
Headphones- yay or nay?
Slacker Runner 
I like one earbud in. Music helps the time pass! Good luck!
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It really does 🙂 Thank you!
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Good luck! Packing is always stressful no matter how short the trip.
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Right? You want to take anything you think you might need but that starts to add up! Thank you!
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Good call on updating the playlist. I think it helps! Good luck – you’re gonna do great! Enjoy the firsts!
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Sometimes a good playlist can make all the difference…or not. Thanks!
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Good luck, can’t wait to hear about the race!
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Thank you!
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Headphones were discouraged from the race I ran yesterday too, but I saw a bunch of other people wearing them, so I didn’t feel too bad. I keep the music low so I can still hear things, but having those songs helps SO much. Good luck today!!
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Yeah, there were a bunch of people at the starting line with headphones. One guy had had his own speaker. Thanks!
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Mixed on headphones but almost always in a race. In the spring I attempted to run without them up to mile 5 with the hopes that music would really put a pep in my step for the last 8 miles. Eh, sort of successful.
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I usually rely on the music during races to either help calm me down or get me going. Truthfully, I can barely remember the music during this race. I know it was playing but it barely registered.
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