Guys, I'm freaking out. I agreed to ring in this 4th of July holiday by running 13 miles at 6:30 am on Sauvie Island (why not, right?). I paid $60 and everything. I've been a regular runner for a few years, but until I started training for this I pretty much capped it at 6 miles or so. I haven't exactly followed the recommended training program, so I haven't exactly run a whole 13 miles at once before, but pretty close. Anyhow, I haven't been too worried about it since if I'm not hung over or anything I'm pretty comfortable at the 9- or 10-mile mark, and I figure the adrenaline on race day will just sort of propel me through the rest of it. However, now that the race is coming up quick I am starting to worry that I'm going to totally bite it. In order to minimize said biting, I want to prepare myself for *optimum performance*. I'm a little torn on issues like whether or not to drink coffee, and if so, how much or how far in advance? (I'm not a regular coffee drinker but it seems to help before a moderate-length run—will I crash after more than an hour, though?) What to eat, and when to eat it? Toast with peanut butter? Anything less obvious? I'm pretty sure they have "hydration stations" where you can pick up those weird gels and stuff, which I've never tried (do they have gelatin in them?? Do they work?), but is there any other magical equipment I should bring to help myself out? Am I just fucked? (I don't want to walk any of it.)

Oh and if you're wondering, I'm not doing the full marathon because it scrapes off your nipples and gives you the trots.* No, seriously. This is the t-shirt of someone who has just run one:

2343734419_3a6596fce9.jpg

*Actually you can still totally get the trots with a half marathon, but let's not ponder that.

UPDATE: I did it! Actually I'm embarrassed that I didn't push myself harder. I ended up eating one piece of white toast w/Earth Balance, two bananas, and a cup of coffee beforehand. And I took Immodium just in case. Heh. I hit the goo at something like mile 11. It was gross. Don't know if it had time to work before I finished, but the point is that I finished, without walking any part of it. Now that I know how attainable it is (my knees are the only ones filing a complaint) I want to try again and go faster. Seattle half marathon in October, anyone?