Pre-Race Rituals: Gold Coast Airport Marathon 2013

Day 3: In the hotel lobby. Surfer's Paradise is the place to be, with the vast ocean, incessant white-water, waves, eagerly pushing towards the flat shores.  The race fair looks the same as 2011, with the major players intact. I got my race-bib (and an empty sling-bag) yesterday at the race-expo. I am tagged and ready-to-go.

My race-kit has been laid out, albeit in a cluster. My race-kit will be a two-piece tri-suit, race-belt/bib, Ryder sunnies, Fuel-Belt, Perpetuem (Hammer Nutrition) gel, CrampStop salt tablets, ON running-shoes and RoadID wristband. My BBQ awaits me: Brisbane Boston Qualifier (3:24 or less).

I ran 10km yesterday at about 6.15pm and it was almost dark. After dodging traffic and running into cul-de-sacs, I managed a moderate 51 minutes ending at the weekend flea-market. I sensed that I am responding very well to the beautifully-clean, cool and salted air. I will be doing a short workout soon; my pre-race ritual. I intend to do a 30-minute stationary-bike ride, and 20 minutes swim. I feel inadequate without doing any endurance training over the weekend. Kona beckons me in about 13 weeks' time; a few A-races frame my passage to my dream race in Hawaii. Of course, the holy grail of Boston Marathon is my goal in April.

Have a great race, all marathoners and runners. Big shout out to Team Singapore - Have a brilliant race on a fabulous, flat course, with huge support from volunteers!