Race Day Coming Soon

I enjoy this sign. I pass it coming and going on my Lahaina running route, as well as on the way to Aloha Mixed Plate. I think of it as a landmark..."Soon I'll pass the Jesus Coming Soon church." With three runs and two meals at Aloha Mixed Plate under my belt, I've seen the sign ten times. Jesus hasn't arrived yet! (Forgive my irreverence.)

Tomorrow morning is the Maui Half (and Marathon), and one week since we left home and came to balmy Hawaii! Hard to believe it's still winter. Although it hasn't been super hot here (which is fine with me), the weather has been a lot like a great Washington summer.

It has been a few degrees warmer the last couple days, though. Yesterday (my final pre-race run, 8.25 miles), I did a couple quarter- mile and a half-mile pick-up in the final couple miles. 9:20-9:25 pace on each and it was WORK and WARM. That was around 8 or 8:30 am, which will be in the second half of the race.

I arrived at the number pick-up at the Pioneer Inn this morning a few minutes early, and there was already a little line. By the time I left the line was out the sidewalk! Glad I came early.

I am so glad to be running the half marathon and not the full! I see the full as pretty much nothing but torture. (Don't know why I don't feel the same about all marathons.) The half, however? Just a fun little run along the ocean. Okay, there may be a tiny bit of torture at some point, but it will be short (relatively speaking).

This race will be my fourth half marathon in 23 days and bump me to four moons in the Half Fanatics. I don't see much likelihood that I will ever reach a higher level than that, though. This challenge was quite doable but anything higher seems a little too demanding. Especially if I intend to keep doing the OCCASIONAL full marathon.

In less than twelve hours I will be on the road! In fourteen I will be eating shave ice! (If they sell it at 9 am.)


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