Stay in the zone!

Below is a picture of my arm and on it is the zones and miles that i want to be in for the Clonakilty Marathon that i am doing in the morning, 26.2 miles of ? i am looking do it as something between a long run and a race, i want to break my PB from Dublin in 2006, the last Marathon i did (3hrs 35 mins) but mostly i want to do it well and recover fast and be in ok shape for basketball on monday night! and keep running in the week coming. I am well rested, the last 4 days i have sat on my ass, bar an easy 90 min walk on thursday, checking out local trail potential in the hills. I feel good and knowing the route and the weather, (cold but sunny) it will be very cold starting, i am really looking forward to it, the bit in rathbarry and along the long strand and red strand are stunning as is the bit by inchadoney strand and dunmore. I hope to be in good form at the end and not struggling like in the last 3 marathons that i have done, i am in great shape and strong so i am optimistic that i can get under 3 and a half hours but regardless i will be sticking to my self made heart rate plan. I plan to drink at all the water stations, every 3 miles and eat a gel 20 mins before and at the 5 mile, 10 mile 15 mile, 19 mile and 22 miles points and maybe take some carb drink late on in the race at the stations. Hopefully this should do the trick, this is largely based on Eoin wards advice, which i think is spot on.

It will be interesting and surely will be an indicator as to whether my ultra ideas for 2012 are pie in the sky!