One Eight Three

A couple of days ago, I received my first ever race number through the post: 183. I tried to think of any sort of significance for that number to me and have, so far, failed. The best I could do was find that if you sum the digits, you will get 12 which is the day of my birth in May and the day before the one on which I will actually race.


The number doesn't have to be significant other than the fact that it matches the number for the chip included in the pack the race organisers sent (it does).

Since reading that the chip has already been assigned the race number and placed in the right envelope, I don't trust it. I usually run with music (and RunKeeper) and this Sunday will be no different. I'm going to use Runkeeper to see what the difference is between it and the official timing. I'm expecting only a few seconds difference, if there's any more I won't know what to think.

At the moment I'm actually a little apprehensive as to how I'll do in the actual race because of how little training I've done lately. I came back from Mexico with a bit of a head cold and blocked sinuses so, apart from feeling exhausted after the flight, I felt like I might not be able to breathe properly and would just crash before too long.


Eventually, I went out for a run but completely forgot to pace myself through it. I usually aim for and average pace of 8 minutes per mile to begin with so I'm not too tired by the end. After going just about half the distance, though, I felt faint and a bit nauseated. (Not helped by running past a smoker at that point). I tried to carry on, but thought I should just head home and managed 1.76mi total.


Fortunately, my next run went better after I paced myself and had properly shaken off whatever Mexican bug I'd picked up. I did my usual 5k and did it in my fastest time yet - under 24 minutes.


That run was on the 6th May, though, and it's the most I've done since before the holiday. I'm hoping to get another run of at least 4 miles in on Friday so I have a rest day on my Birthday before the big day on Sunday.


I am targeting a time under 50 minutes, pushing 48 since the course is flat, but I don't think I'm at my best so that might just be a pipe dream.


We'll see in three days.