Strategy and goals for Sunday

So I finally registered for the 5k race on Sunday. I was waiting to make sure ITB won't give me any trouble. And since it seems ok, I signed up.

Now I need to start being more focused and motivated and think about the strategy.

This is the first time they organize this race so I do not have high organizational expectations. Plus since it is the first edition, maybe not that many people will show up and I might have a shot to win one of awesome prizes for 1st and 2nd place: Nike running shoes + some other Nike goodies, haircut in Oliver Ifergan atelier in Beverly Hills (I do not care about this one, but since I have not had a haircut in cough cough 2 years, maybe it is time to get one) and one month membership to fitness studio. So it would be great to finish 1st or 2nd. That should keep me motivated. And of course I will try to beat my current PR.
But somehow I do not feel ready. Past 2 weeks were chaotic, I was eating crap and I just was not "there". Plus I got my period today. Which according to some articles I have read should be a plus in fast running, but I am just not sure about it.
I have read that in the follicular phase (first half or so of your cycle) your tempo runs and interval training will feel easier because you'll be accessing quick energy through carbohydrates. During the luteal phase (last half or so) your long, slow runs will feel easier and require less recovery time because your body will take advantage of increased fat breakdown. Maybe that's why I felt sluggish during the intervals past 2 weeks and I will excel on Sunday:)


As for strategy, I am going to bike the course tomorrow but it looks it is slight uphill out and then slight downhill back.
The last race I ran for pretty hilly, downhills and uphills. So I could go fast on downhills but slowed down on uphills. Unfortunately I do not know whether I was able to run fast because of those downhills, or whether I was not able to run fast because of uphills. So I am not sure whether I can run faster or slower on flatter course...Any thoughts?

Goal A is to run low 18:50s. If course is like I think it is, I want to start at 3:46-47 and keep that until half point and then it should be downhill so I should be able to keep that pace even if I will be tired by then and then "sprint" last 400-500m. Which should give me time around 18:50-18:53.
But taking into consideration my workouts past 3 weeks where I was struggling to hold that pace in intervals eventhough I could rest between them, not sure whether this goal is realistic.

Goal B is just run sub-19, even 18:59.59 would do.

Goal C is to get that Oliver Ifergan haircut, hm, I mean those Nike Lunar Glide 2 shoes.


I borrowed a book about swimming by James Counsilman from the library yesterday. It is from 1977 but who cares, right? I am off to pool to examine my technique and compare it to what I should be doing.

UPDATE:
Actually, I should have put my goals in opposite order:) I really need new running shoes!

I almost drown myself in a pool today. I tried to do everything I have read in a wise book at once and well, it did not work out quite well:) So one thing at a time. But I realized that my technique is pretty good. I do not bent the arms enough and bent the legs too much, otherwise everything looks ok. As long as I can say. I did not use the legs too much because I wanted to get a feel for arms' power and it was pretty awesome.