'Cause you gotta have faith (the obligatory pre-race post)

The cliche's abound.  The hay's the in barn.  The bricks are laid.  The work is done.  It's taper time.
After months of preparation, all that remains is to stay loose and put it out there on race day, hoping that the work you put in was enough.  I have faith that it was.
As IMFL approaches, I wonder which I will remember more - the 140.6 miles on race day or the 2,500+ that led up to them?
My goals for this race are rather simple.  First and foremost is to simply finish.  I have a plan, but I'm not in love with it.  So when something goes completely wrong, and it will, I know better than to try and force the day back into my predicted path.  I'll consider the day a success if I can remember to enjoy the whole experience.  I'm trying to finish ahead of the 13hr mark - I know, not an impressive time to you rock stars out there, but my main goal is to "race within myself" as they say - and avoid the temptation to hammer my way through 2/3 of the race and have nothing left to finish.  Don't get me wrong - I'll leave it all out there, but my main strategy in my first IM is to race smart.
Right now, I really just want to offer my sincerest appreciation to everyone who has encouraged and inspired me as I prepared for this.  From those who shared their knowledge from races in the past, to those whose performances this year drove me to try and emulate their work ethic, to those whose comments and encouragement made it seem as if it really matter whether we do this or not - thank you.
And lastly, thanks to all of those who donated to the Hands and Feet Project, giving real purpose to these miles.  With six days until race day we have not quite reached our goal of $1,406.  But I have faith that we will.
See you in Panama City.
Austin # 951

1 Corinthians 10:31