What I'm doing with one week left before our half marathon

This past weekend, I caught up with friends I hadn’t seen in years — decades, in fact, for a few — where we all went to college in Tennessee, where I snapped this photo from one of the overlooks there along the Cumberland Plateau.

Throughout the weekend, old friends asked what I was up to; whether I still ran as much as I once did, all those years ago when I was running full marathons. “Well, I’m actually running a half this coming weekend,” I told them, which led to some big eyes and surprised stares.

“Really? Do you think you’re ready?” one asked.

“I’m not 100 percent sure,” I said, “but I’m going to be there on the starting line in Richmond this Saturday, and we’ll see what happens!”

Right about now is the moment when we realize, no matter how faithfully we’ve stuck to our training or not, we are where we are. Some of you have probably followed your plan perfectly; others… not quite so much! (And that’s okay.) The calendar leaves us just one week before race day, so the training we’ve been able to do will have to get us where we need to go.

There are only a handful of things we can control between now and then, so here’s what I’m going to focus on:

• Getting good sleep. Especially with the time change back to Standard Time this weekend, my body’s internal clock is a little thrown right now. But I still can get in five good nights of sleep between now and when we line up at the starting line, right?

• Eating balanced meals with plenty of lean protein and healthy carbs. I kinda overdosed on Halloween candy last week (Don’t judge me! 🤣) so this week is really the time to push away the sweets. It’s time to make sure I’m putting food into my body that makes me feel good, alert and energized, not things that make me feel sluggish and slow.

• Get in a few light runs. Even just three to four miles is enough, a few days this week. This will help me keep my fitness level up and help my body stay in the habit of running, without doing anything that might push it too far or risk a late-inning injury. (That’s especially key right now.)

Other than that, I’m feeling good. I feel mentally ready for 13.1 — my long runs helped me push my comfort zone outward a bit, so those really long runs don’t feel so daunting. And I’m excited to be running it with you all, and not by myself!

The forecast for this Saturday in Richmond, Va., calls for a chilly start — probably in the upper 30s or low 40s — with a high temperature later in the day in the upper 50s. It should be close to perfect running weather.

How do you handle the final few days before a race? (Or before any big event you’re participating in?) I’d love to know any tips, thoughts or suggestions you have. See you in Richmond in a few days!

Your friend,

— Terrell