2015 Sunset Strip Race Goals

This weekend I will be running my 14th race of the year and my 4th half marathon (which will be my first and only non-Disney half marathon of the year). I will be running the Inaugural Sunset Strip half. As I have written about before, my boyfriend and his brother decided they want to run a half marathon to see who would "win" and I got dragged into it as well! 

Not going to lie, I am nervous about this course for a few reasons:

1. It is new so I hope everything is figured out
   
2. The race time got changed this week from 6:45 to 7 without an email or anything. I hope other things don't change last minute
   
3. They haven't mentioned water stops, food stops, or medical stations. I will be asking at the Expo on Saturday. 
   
4. The race starts and the 5k starts 30 minutes later running the same part of the course. Hopefully they have a separate area or I will definitely be slowed down
   
5. The elevation-it has some very steep hills
   
6. The trauma of the LA Marathon-we will be running over the same part of the course where I started to melt down a bit and I hoping it will not mentally effect me
7. Time cut off. They originally said it was a 3 hr and 30 min cut off(16 min mile) but are now saying that you have to keep a 13 min mile pace. With the time change, I think some People may be in trouble
   
   
   I feel ready and plan on getting a lot of sleep this week and taking it pretty easy. I am also excited to carbload again!
   
   So onto the goals: 
   A GOAL: sub 2:13:43 (new PR)
   I think a PR attempt may be tough with the hills but I think the downhills and flat portions could help. I will need to average about 10 minute miles so we will see! 
   B GOAL: sub 2:20
   I feel like this is a good reasonable goal with the hills and allows for slow down time but allows for some downhill help. 
   C GOAL: sub 2:30
   This is always my goal and just incase it is very crowded or something goes wrong. 
   D GOAL: Finish with a smile :) 
   Who knows how all of this will go so a strong finish is always in the positive. 
   
   My plan is to wear my sparkle skirt so I can fit in my Clif shot bloks, clif shot, lip gloss, and leg spray. Thinking about the marathon reminds me I need to wear a hat for sure. The part we are running on has very little shade and it has been so sunny lately.