Your encouragement have always been a support for me, and I will take that with me

(replies not needed... for your dancing and dining pleasure) A badly-needed talking to myself. "So here you are. A matter of days and it's time for the race. What are you bringing? No, doofus, what did you get from the training? What do have that works to your advantage, and what's going to give you trouble?" Negatives first (get them out of the way). The weight is not where I was hoping - about five pounds or so heavier than I figured. It won't matter that much in a 5K. In a marathon, that could be another factor. If it's warm (they're talking mid 50s maybe with rain at race time), it's a problem. No matter what I've tried, I can't keep the sweat out of my eyes. That's especially a problem if I'm wearing the (non-prescription) sunglasses. I do have a couple tricks up my sleeve if need be, though. I think in every race I've ever done, I can tell within the first hundred yards if it's going to be a good run or not. Even the half-marathons. If I don't get that on Sunday, I have to divert my attention totally away from running. I hope I the music in my head kicks in early. Now the positives. I've never done this distance, so I have no bad habits coming into it. Nothing to unlearn. I have trained - I was stunned to see so many at St. Louis (so I overheard) making that their first race ever. Not even a 5K beforehand! I have had handlers (and believe me they have earned that title!) who have helped me work around injuries and adjusting my schedule as needed. They have believed in me more than I could ever believe in myself. And I have had you, the readers of these threads of mine. Your encouragement and advice have always been a support for me, and I will take that with me all the way through the finish line. Based on what I've done, I deserve a great race. But I know that anything could happen. And that I can accept and live with. Having gotten through the training is victory in itself. Completing the race will be another victory. The result of same is just icing on the cake. The days draw long, too long to count, Cushioned by the wasting. Restless age, the rusted temple, A place of my own making. No matter what else you've been told, It's still all up to me. And everything you hold Is mine in the barest degree, In the barest degree.