On 'maranoia'

I've never been there, but I hear the bridge has a good 'camber', and is the biggest hill of the course.

Three days to go.  The stretches seem to be working, but I won't test my legs again until tomorrow, and will run only three miles between now and the marathon.

But the legs feel good.  Still, I'm feeling a bit 'maranoid'.  I'm psyching myself into feeling phantom pains, that is when I'm not feeling good.

So it's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of confidence.  This will be my first marathon after all.

Other symptoms of maranoia.  Everything is related to the race, to my wife's chagrin.  Doing stretches in front of the television, always bringing things back to running and marathon strategies.

Maranoia symptom #3.  Sitting in my office chair is going to give me an injury.  But my stretches are making me feel so good, I'm back in the chair.  Anyway, working full time from bed was getting a bit creepy.

#4. I must be gaining weight due to all this tapering.  However, I have lost at least 30 pounds since I started running, am now doing strength training, and actually think about what I eat, so the fact that I've run a bit less this week shouldn't be a problem.

5. Running less is making me less fit.  NO: actually running less is giving you a needed break, during which time your fitness will actually increase due to lesser chance of injury.  If that makes sense.

There are so many other interrelated maranoid thoughts racing through my head that I'll just call that number 6: racing thoughts.  I'm thinking about getting a good time, and maybe even pushing myself, but I know I need to be very very careful here.

7. It's going to be hot.  I've not done a run in any temperature over 12 degrees C for months.  So I need to account for that: it'll be 20C on the day (perhaps).  Drink lots and adjust speed.

8. My shoes.  I've only had one new set of trainers since my Windsor Half back in September, and have now convinced myself that it is my shoes that are partly to blame for any (probably imaginary) injuries that might be coming.  But at the same time I don't want to run in new shoes.

9. Eating. I'm going to 'carb up' starting today because I know that finishing is all about somehow getting enough calories to get around 26.2.  I don't want GI problems at 15 or 20, but still plan to eat a couple of energy bars on the way.  Hope it's ok.

10. Am I getting injured?  I already mentioned that.