It's showtime !

With a fairly busy week, i thought i might have a real taper and actually not run the whole week, but of course that running addiction is not one to go cold turkey easily, so by Thursday it was one last "safety" run.
Basically wanted 20K's and flattish to small undulations more or less like the Canberra Marathon, so headed out the back and avoided the temptation of the long, steep hills by using some of the long drives around Elanora. After getting lost somewhere through the industrial area of Currumbin (it's easy to get out of the industrial area by crossing the creek and making it to houses although i've yet to work out how the people in those houses get out of that area ????), had made it to the beach by 14K's and it looked as though there was a storm heading north from Coolangatta. By then i had a little niggle in my right calf (an occasional problem i've had ever since doing the 2005 Coast To Kosi, and one i can usually sort with a few stretches), so ignored it and worried more about the downpour that i'd be struggling to beat in. Typically the heavens opened up very soon after and by Currumbin even the gutters were flooding, at the moment Currumbin Beach is being used as "Malibu Beach" California for a movie "Goblin Shark Attack" complete with US Style life saving building on the beach but obviously there are no storm scenes in this (apparently a sci-fi thriller to be completed at Dreamworld once filming here is over) as all the cast and crew were huddled under tarpaulins (or in the stars caravans) trying to stay dry as i sloshed past.
Once along Currumbin Creek Rd, the rain eased but this gave me more time to feel my calf, not great i fear, still 20 and a bit K's at easy 4:50 K pace was pretty much what i was wanting, so overall reasonably content.
Friday, no run (and still no booze at least that part of the taper stays intact !), and spent a little time in the evening bathing that calf in the cold sea.
Calf feels less sore this morning though may end up having a paddle before i fly off this arvo.
Having grown a beard specially for extra heat for Badwater training, i'm now in a quandary, though not superstitious i know i've never ran 3 three with a beard (back in the late 80's i'd never run sub 3 anyway but that's another story), so i think today it'll probably go and i'll be shaved down for a fast time at Canberra.
So picture above is probably not the man that people will see at Canberra later today (well unless someones casting for Ned Kelly :-)), i'm sure eventually some race pics (or post race pics) will show whether that is the case).
Onwards to Canberra Marathon number 14 !!