All systems go.

It is looking good for the Sun Run tomorrow. Legs and feet are fairly rested. My left foot feels good. My last 7km run was a decent pace and felt fantastic. I've had a good rest since that run. So how will it go?

I'm reasonably sure I'll finish the race without foot problems and reasonable cardiovascular fitness. If I'm right about that, it comes down to time. Thinking of time can be either motivating or discouraging with a looming race. I'll come nowhere close to my personal best, a 44:22 from six years ago when I was 20 pounds lighter and my weekly long run was over 20km. On the other end of the spectrum, I haven't yet ran a 10 slower than one hour. So where will this one fall?

My goal remains simply completing the race strong and in good barefoot form, running with the Vibrams. But I can't help to think about the time. I'll be disappointed with anything over an hour. I'm pretty sure I can do better than that. I did 58 min and change the last time I ran it.  The only run I've done recently that I know was on the money was that 4km run last Saturday. That was on a track, and calibrated after the fact to the distance. For that run I was at 5:30/km pace: right at 55 min for a 10k. But that was on a track, had no hills like the nasty climb up over Burrard Bridge or crowds to wind your way through. On the other hand, I probably wasn't pushing myself like I would in a race.

I'd be really happy with 55 min. 58 would feel like I did just fine. Over an hour will be a bit of a letdown. But, if by some miracle I can push it back down to 54 or 53 I'll feel like I really accomplished something. That is a pretty wide range of emotions for a 6 minute range, and mostly ridiculous (especially considering I've ran the same race in 48 before, and someone will win this thing in less than 30). I should just run and enjoy it. And I will.

But I can't help but thinking about the times. It is a race, after all.