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Overdone it?
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No, I didn't do that.
I actually can't drink coffee before races as it makes me feel sick and I avoid caffeine gels for that same reason. On the morning I had my normal breakfast (fruit, yoghurt, muesli, orange juice. But not coffee 
).
Groundhog Day??
Lit - where do I find them?
On the Asics threads.
Neither can i
I think i'll be avoiding all of those as well and just taking a few slices of dry white toast with honey. I'm sure your breakfast would have my guts in turmoil by 20M !!
That's what I always have for breakfast. But I might have a piece of toast as well because 26.2 miles is a long way.
Fair point, Skinny. I wouldnt listen to a word I had to say on this topic either
Re carb loding plans, im surprised by your comment of the plan you looked at. I basically found for 2 days i ate six main meals with high carb value snacks in between. I remember by the Friday night I had this strange highly stimulated feeling about me.
Lot to think about in the world of marathon prep I see. Didn't those old guys in the 80s just go for beer and pizza the night before? Not that I know anything but if it was me I would just have a bit of the usual, whatever that may be. Except I wouldn't get pissed.
Question about my impending race: how many rest days (if any) do you have before an HM? Suppose it's an "A race" if you make such distinctions. I've seen people pack the running shoes away the Tuesday before a Sunday HM. I've also heard of people just running through the week and going easy.
Rest day on the Friday before and a short easy run with a few strides on the Saturday, Charlie.
Charlie - If it was my big target I'd tend to cut the long run the weekend before - no more than 8-10 say, no speedwork after the Tuesday (and not too heavy a session on the Tuesday) unless some strides as Lit says. I quite like not running the day before but have done both and don't think it makes much difference. Either way I wouldn't do more than 4 or 5, ideally 4 for that run.
Actually, just checked and for my best ever half I raced a hilly 10 miler the weekend before, a 7 miler with club on the Monday, then didn't run until the Saturday when I did an easy 5k. Not sure why that was - probs heavy work or a cold or something.
I have a giant blister on my foot. The search for the perfect pair of socks has not been a great success.
My best socks are Wright Socks, McFlooze.
Chris - yes, I do have a rest day every week, though not usually on Fridays.
Charlie - my personal view is that it doesn't much matter whether you do nothing or something between Tuesday and race day provided the something is easy but I follow SG advice and go Rest Day, Short Easy Run with Strides day before and tend to do a light quality session on the Tuesday.
I think if its a big target race then the easy run with strides the day before just helps manage the nerves as much as anything.
McF - no photos please.
I wear Wright and Wleft socks.
I tend to like 2 days clear rest before an 'A' half. I would normally run up until the wednesday, then maybe cycle/spin on the Thursday then rest Friday and Saturday. I guess you just have to work out what suits you best.
As far as i have seen, elite runners seem to do a light 3-4 miles the morning before race day.
I have always done a run the day before a half (or any other race), because before training with SG, I used to use a RW plan that had a run on the Saturday, which I used for my first ever race (Robin Hood half in 2011). So I think I'd feel a bit deprived if I didn't get my run now!
I also forgot to mention that, due to a persistent tight/niggly calf ever since sitting in a plane for hours on the way to the US (funny that), I 'treated' myself to a sports massage on Monday. Obviously paying some bloke in a portakabin 40 quid to grind his elbow around in your arse cheeks is not the nicest way to celebrate your birthday, but it seems to have worked and now my legs feel fine.
So, for this campaign :
2 x ILL
1 x CALF NIGGLE
* Faints in disbelief
That's something else i forgot to do last year and regretted it at mile 18 when my calf started to twitch - a massage !! Another schoolboy error, particularly after experiencing horrendous calf cramp warming down after the Lydd Half
I recently read somewhere it's a good idea to get the rest early in the week but i guess it all depends on what you're used to and how you're feeling.
I know. It's a bit of a worry; I'm usually much more robust than this! Though I still think that all niggles I've ever had have been caused by tight muscles rather than actual injury, so it's a good reminder to keep up the maintenance activities (stretching, massage etc.).
How regularly do you have a massage ?
I've only ever had the one before my first marathon and i was told my muscles weren't too bad at all. This was good to hear but also made me think i'd wasted thirty odd quid
I'm not sure i felt that much benefit to be honest although it was very relaxing and it was suggested i shouldn't have anything too heavy done. I did get the elbow in the arse jobby though and that brought a tear to my eye !!
Mace/Lit - you're not making me look forward to mine at 6pm today!
I've had sports massages where other parts of my legs have cramped due to the pressure of the massage. If you have tight areas and they do it properly it shouldn't be pleasant.
It's actually quite relaxing and my main concern 5 minutes in was that i'd nod off and start snoring like a bear
And i did get a heads up before the elbow, something like " Try and relax for me , this is gonna fucking hurt " ..... well, maybe not quite that bad 
It smarts a bit but in a sort of good way
EDIT : X-post DT -i had the option to have a 'proper' job or a wussy one and was recommended, being only 5 days from race day, that the wussy version would be the best bet. Although as things progressed i was told i could probably get away with something a bit more deep as my muscles weren't particularly tight.
Lets face it the massage will be fine, its his verdict on my foot I'm much more concerned about.
Skinny - if he says you shouldn't run what will you do ?
DT - do you have regular massage ?
All this talk of massage has reminded me i should probably do a bit of stretching. I thought about it briefly this morning but after 20 mins core work i couldn't be arsed.
I used to have more regular massage last year during marathon training (perhaps every few weeks or once a month or so), but since moving up here I hadn't had one because there are many things on my Big List of Things to Organise that I haven't had time to do yet.* However, as I could tell that the slightly bruised feeling in the back of my calf was probably due to tight glutes, I thought I'd better sort something out here so got a recommendation from my club. He said he wouldn't go too deep because I'd want to be getting on with my normal training and wouldn't want to be too sore, and it didn't feel quite as intense as what my masseur in Notts used to do, though was not particularly comfortable, especially as it was the day after the 10-miler. Breathing deeply at the right moments can help.
*these include: learn to drive; register with a doctor; buy a new cooker.
Obviously collapse into his arms and cry big sobbing tears, then tell him there's no point in going through the pain of a massage in a bit of a sulky way, then cry some more and then be impossible to live with until I can run again - full drama queen behaviour
- I've got three daughters so I've learnt a few things about how to react to unwanted news.
Skinny- This is perhaps where i am my own worst enemy, however, I would chance my arm, unless it really hurt to run on or they were really asertive about the dangers, and not just in a standard physio/gp 'dont run on it' style. I would assume that codeine and adrenaline would get me through the race, and i'd 'pick up th tab' for my ignorance in the weeks/months afterwards.
Mace- I used to have a massage about once every 2-3 weeks, then when i got injured last August i didnt need it and then got out of the habit. Then the guy i used (he was very handy as was mobile so would come to my house after the kids were in bed) disappeared.
I have now just found someone around the corner who is £10 an hour cheaper so i am likely to get back to regular massage i think as i do feel it helps.
It's been a while since my last massage, which is probably a good sign as I've only had them when something is bothering me, but my favourite bit has always been the thumb up the outside of the calf. eek! forty quid sounds a bit steep - I'm sure my regular guy is only £20 for a good session.
I think I had pizza the night before Brighton, and, in an effort to manage my toilet issues, I tried a couple of sachets of Complan for breakfast (plus beetroot juice, beetroot shots, energy drink and no doubt numerous mugs of tea) - completely ignoring the "don't do anything different" wisdom.
i was preparing to be shocked at this point
I think £40/hour is perfectly reasonable for a trained professional who has to pay for things like premises, insurance, laundry, equipment, membership of accredited societies, etc. and does all his own admin. If I were working freelance in addition to my current job I would certainly not consider charging less than £40/hour for my area of expertise and I don't have all of those expenses.
So, for this campaign :
2 x ILL
1 x CALF NIGGLE
* Faints in disbelief
That's something else i forgot to do last year and regretted it at mile 18 when my calf started to twitch - a massage !! Another schoolboy error, particularly after experiencing horrendous calf cramp warming down after the Lydd Half
I recently read somewhere it's a good idea to get the rest early in the week but i guess it all depends on what you're used to and how you're feeling.