We're officially three days away from the Philly Rock N Roll Half Marathon and the nerves are already setting in.

This training cycle has hands down been my best: I didn't have a single injury (knock on wood); I didn't miss a single run; I actually stuck with my speed workouts for an entire training cycle.

I don't think I've ever been more prepared going in to a race.

Because of that, I'm just piling the pressure on myself that this race must be great. Talk about setting myself up for failure if something goes wrong.

There's a lot on race day I can't control: the weather, the crowds, what's available at aid stations.

But I went into this training cycle with a pretty tough goal in mind. I want to finally break two hours in the half marathon. That means I have to average right around 9:05 per mile. For me, that's pretty fast.

I know I can do it over short distances, and even over middle-ish distances. I don't know if I can sustain that for an entire half marathon.

My fastest half marathon was 2:12:57 set back in May on a miserably hot day on a very hilly course. I was shooting to break 2:10, but fell apart at the end. Philly's flat and hopefully the weather will be better.

Normally, I'm all about going in to a race, having fun and maybe trying to set a new PR.

This time, not so much. It's 1:59:59 or bust.

Come Monday, I hope I'll be able to tell you I succeeded. I've been envisioning a great race. I'm putting together a play list with my favorite motivational songs timed for right when I get to mile 10. I've done all the mental and physical prep work I can.

Now it's just time to race.

Game on.