Five for Friday | Carmel Race Edition

I am packed and ready to go.

Who likes the Kroger sticker that Miles put on the back of the kitchen chair?

It's amazing how much stuff I will need for 22 hours away from home!

Race outfit: Chi tank from Athleta (my all time favorite); compression style shorts from Old Navy; Moving Comfort Juno bra; Pro Compression low trainers; and Saucony Fastwitch.

Race supplies: Nathan handheld (possibly carrying this); three Gu gels (two salted watermelon and one salted caramel); Lemon-Lime Nuun; and Garmin 230.

Clothes: Umm, do you care?

Miscellaneous: Hygeia pump and supplies (blech)

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If you noticed under the race outfit that I am packing a tank and shorts, well, it's because the weather has done a 180 from last weekend.

The forecast has a high of 75 and a low of 44, which means that it should be pretty decent in the morning for the race. (It starts at 7:30 a.m.) Since I'm doing the half, I don't anticipate much of a problem though some of the marathoners might have issues. I'm just excited that winds should be pretty calm.

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For most, if not all of this training, I haven't shared my paces or really talked about my goals. Partly, I think pace is so relative that it didn't seem relevant. The other part, though, is I picked up some speed and I was scared to admit that I could be more ambitious when setting goal pace.

And so this sets me up to tell you ... not my goal pace. Ha!

What I will share: I completed 14 weeks of training, following a plan that scared the living shit out of me. I not only had the courage to start it but the balls to finish it, and I know that I did some serious work. I also know that the numbers could mean big things for me, and I'm ready to go for it.

My race strategy is to line up with a pacer and let her do the work for me for the first 9 miles. I hope will drop her and pick it up the last four miles to finish strong and bring me to the time I've worked for.

The key, for me, will be to stay out of my own head (according to my BRF) and not let fear dictate the pace.

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While the race is all very exciting, one of the things I've looked forward to most is that Mark and I are making the two-hour trip to Carmel by ourselves! Hooray! A big thanks to my in-laws for keeping the kids.

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My final, I think, email from race organizers gave me my bib number – 3547. My friend and I decided that this is good luck because:

• I turn 35 on Sunday.

• Sunday is still in April (4)

• And the date on Sunday ends in 7. 

Also, any bib number I would have gotten would be lucky because I'm wearing it. Obvs. ;)