Pre Race Preparations

My first concern with racing on Sunday is ensuring I bring everything I need to the race. I'll need to make a checklist and use it on Sunday. As I get older, checklists become more integral in avoiding forgetting items and tasks in general. I need to bring a bag of post race food also. Some Gatorade, a PowerBar Recovery bar, a banana and an orange sounds like a decent post race meal package.

I have a minor issue with my sneaker's shoelaces in that they are too long. I double knot them and they are still too long. Having shoe laces come untied during a short race like this (5k) is like blowing a tire on a car during rush hour on a freeway. My saving grace will be I will most likely be in the back of the race pack - stopping to tie my shoe will not slow anyone down.

The one tangible I would like to have a better grasp over is the race route. For whatever reason, the route has not been published. There will be a one mile and two mile split times recorded within the race, so I will know where I am twice within the race.

The race is sponsored by Pretzel City Sports, which according to their website, "provides outstanding, yet surprisingly affordable, race timing, event management and course design." I am trying to get the race route from Pretzel City in an effort to input the route into my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch. If I am able to do this, I will know at all times where I am at within the race. For example, I'll know when I have 1.5 miles left, .5 miles left, etc.


Took the family to the Olive Garden restaurant in Harrisburg for our 7th anniversary dinner. Put on three pounds - but it was a good three pounds. Venetian Chicken with an apricot glaze and brocolli & asparagus. Finished off with a $6 slice of black tie chocolate mousse cake.