3 days to go!

Race day is right around the corner. My father-in-law is in Sacramento this week and said that the town is already buzzing about the race. He said to check out the sacbee website for lots of info. Here is ultra runner Tim Twietmeyer's mile by mile breakdown of the course (He has won Western States 100 five times and has run every CIM!). He is also leading the 3:35 pace group.

I guess Josh Cox, who trains in Mammoth with Ryan Hall, will be running CIM along with 20 other men trying to get a qualifying mark for the next olympic trials marathon. So there should be a good US presence there. It also means that Ryan Hall may be up there cheering on his friend. We'll have to keep our eyes open for celebrities at the expo.

Weather still looks good with forecast of partly cloudy, high of 57 and low 35. It may be even colder than that. Warm clothes will be a must for pre and post race. We have to catch the bus between 5 and 5:30 am. It will be COLD.

Here is my checklist for race day packing:
1. Race shoes (New Balance 1224)
2. Running gloves
3. Race shirt and arm sleeves
4. Race shorts
5. Injinjis (socks)
6. Skull cap (I may buy a new one at the expo)
7. Sunglasses
8. Pre race warmups (throw away clothes)
9. Post race long sleeved shirt and warm up pants (it will be cold afterward and I want to stick around the finish line area to cheer)
10. Vasoline or bodyglide
11. Bandaids
12. Preferred breakfast foods (it will be an early morning)
(Bagel, banana, power-bar)
13. Any other day before food (carbs)
14. Race morning beverage (I don't need too much to drink it tends to go right through me)
15. Powerbar gels (my brand of choice)
16. Clothes for return trip home
17. Poncho for starting line (throw away)
18. Garmin Forerunner 305 (I almost forgot!)
19. Toothbrush, deoderant, extra pair of contact lenses, etc.
20. Cell phone

Ok, that is my list. Let me know if I forgot anything.