Utrecht Half Marathon - Prep

Tomorrow is the Utrecht Half Marathon. This was supposed to be the half where I went sub-1:55. However, as things stand, I did not train enough to be able to pull it off this time. Instead, I signed up for another half on June 18th in Zwolle where I WILL go sub 1:55. My (not so) secret goal is to go sub-4:00 at the Amsterdam Marathon in October, so a sub 1:55 in June would really set the stage.

So, my revised plan for tomorrow is as follows: practice! Tomorrow I will practice my nutrition and even most importantly, my pacing during the first 6 miles (and then I can blow up). The plan is to start with 9:40, 9:20 and 9:00 minute miles and then try to stick with 08:50 miles until the end. If I keep the 08:50 miles up long enough, I will be able to go sub-2:00 (but I probably won't...).

I will bring my own water and GO GELs. While I had no nutrition problems at Egmond aan Zee, I really had trouble with the aid stations in Den Haag. So, I want to see if it's feasible for me to carry my own water for 13.1 miles. The hubby has very graciously agreed to meet me around the 12k mark for a bottle and gel handover. I think 3 gels (every 30 minutes) and a pre-start Luna bar should do it.

According to the forecast, tomorrow will also be very warm, and I really don't do well in heat. So, I plan on drinking a lot during the day tomorrow, and trying to stay out of trouble [insert cheesy smile here]. My bib number is 21569 and the half marathon starts at 2pm. Happy Easter y'all!