They all can't be "easy" runs.

Race simulation run. Ha!

5.5 miles. Hood route. 2 pm start. 66 deg. 94% hum. 59 d.p. Flat. Really smooth running.

Race day weather forecast calls for 46 deg., and raining. So, this should set me up well.

7.5 miles. Hood Route. 6 am start. 51 deg., 92% hum., 51 d.p. 5.5 easy with the last 2 at 6:46, 6:45.

5.5 miles. Hood route. 2 pm start. 66 deg. 100% hum. 64 d.p. Hot enough for shirtless. Still spitting like a mad man.

5.5 miles hood route. 6 am start.

Then we flew to Birmingham, Flight went smooth. 20 something degrees and windy as all get out when we landed. We drove immediately to Vulcan Park. Toured the statue (largest steel statue in the world?) and the museum there. The statue is on a hill overlooking the city. You stand on metal grates @ 60' off the ground. Spouse and my Mother in Law were afraid to go out in the wind on the platform. The boys were not. Then we went to the hotel and then to the Big mall (43rd largest mall in the US - yeah! Birmingham!) Where we killed some time at the awesome Lego store.

In Birmingham. Went to Barber Motorsports Museum. 1400 vintage motorcycles and several hundred collector cars. Toured the area where they refurbish the historic bikes. On the test track out back, they were testing Porches and Mercedes Vans. The kids liked it, but it might have dragged on a bit long. MIL bought the kids a toy motorcycle an a toy car.

Then we went to a pretty impressive Bass Pro Shops. We were eating lunch inside, when it started snowing outside. This is the first time my boys have seen snow. They ran out the back door of the store to get out in the snow, accidentaly setting off the alarm system! The snow quickly turned to sleet. It made an interesting noise coming through the trees, and hitting the ground.

Then to the expo. This is the first time I have brought family to the expo. Tht might not happen again. Way too much time and money. Oh well, live and learn.

Then to visit Spouse's Great Aunt and Uncle. They live next to a creek. So the kids went exploring the creek. I can not explain the wide-eyed looks of amazement, when they held icicles. THERE IS ICE! AND IT IS JUST OUTSIDE! YOU CAN TOUCH IT! Floridians! Then the kids great-great Aunt and Uncle gave us the most Alabama dinner ever. Pulled pork, mac and cheese, baked beans, sweet tea, and golden flake potato chips.

3 miles around the hotel, before anyone got up. Still really cold and really windy. Like, stand you up wind. The weatherman predicts low 50's for race day, and rain. (Turns out he was right.)

Then we took the kids to Red Mountain for the zip line tour. MIL was not interested in hiking a mountain in high winds, so she went to her aunt and uncle's house. You have to hike for @ 20 minutes on uneven terrain to get to the base. I had some feeling that this might have an adverse effect  on my race the next day. But, I most likely, will never go back to Birmingham, so I better make this trip count. This zip line tour was the real purpose of the trip anyway, according to the boys. We got there early, and hiked further up the mountain (also not a good idea) to kill some time. The zip line tour was neat. In order to keep your momentum up on a couple of zip lines, you had to pull your knees up to your chest, like you were doing a cannonball. I had sore abs at the end of the tour. Spouse was a trooper. She was up in the trees with us, and the trees were swaying in the wind. A couple of times the boys got stuck on on the slight slope zip lines, because they didn't weigh enough, so the guide had to go out and retrieve them. We all started quoting Forest Gump, saying "And I showed her how to Dangle!" It was pretty funny.

Then boy #2 and I did the MEGA-ZIP line. You climb a tower @ 80 feet up, and you zip line really fast for longer than a football field. The dad-son combo behind us were bragging about therir previous zip line adventures. "So you're good at gravity, huh? Awesome." We got to do the MEGAZIP twice, and it was awesome. Boy #2 was satisfied that this was a successful vacation.   

Then back to pick up MIL. Then we had dinner at "Nothing but Noodles." I got my pre-race Spaghetti and Meatballs. I slept pretty well the night before the race.