Marathon Weekend - Here I Come!

I had a dream last night that I only had 15 minutes to get ready for my marathon. That included getting dressed, packing my fuel belt, putting on my shoes, using the ever-oh-so-important bathroom and everything else involved in getting ready to run a long race. I don't remember too many details about the dream other than I was excited, anxious and stressed that I wouldn't be at the starting line on time. Oh, the joy of pre-race dreams! I woke up around 2:00 a.m. from that dream feeling the nervous bug in my belly. Thank the Lord I was able to fall back asleep within the hour which is really good for me.
Today I finish packing and the family will head over the mountain pass to the race expo and the pre-race pasta feed. My parents live about 45 minutes from the race headquarters so they are going to meet us at the race expo and pick up the kids for us. They'll take them out to dinner while we participate in the pasta feed and then keep them overnight at their house. My husband and I will head to our hotel room which is just a hop, skip and jump away from the starting line. We've each packed a bag to give to my folks full of warm clothes to throw on after our run, clean clothes for after a shower (supplied at the finish line), some coconut water for electrolyte refueling and two instantaneous ice-packs for any muscle owies. The course is point to point so after our showers we will have to get a ride back to our vehicle at the starting line (hence the pre-packed bags for my parents). We will then drive back to the finish area to attend the awards dinner. My husband is thinking he will be hating life at that point and has warned me his mood may not be the best. He thinks he'd rather sleep than attend an awards meal. I, however, want to experience everything this marathon has to offer so I signed us up for all of it! I want the full meal deal! I mean you only get to run your first marathon once, right? I'm ready to gorge on 26.2 miles! 

This Marathon Taper Has Been Like One Long Suspense Movie!

I've decided that the taper before a marathon feels a lot like sitting through a really intense and suspenseful movie. You know, the kind of movie that has you gripping the edge of your seat white knuckled, holding your breath and biting your lips. Oh, and this movie goes on and on and on and on. It never lets up and the intensity continually builds until you don't think you can stand it a moment longer. You just want to know how it ends already!


Yeah, that's what my taper feels like. One long suspense movie and today I am finally seeing the end in sight. Of course, like all good suspense movies that is when nerves are the most frayed and fingernails the most heavily chewed. It dawned on me that today is my last full day at home. Tomorrow I leave for the race city, check into my hotel and pick up my registration and bib number at the expo. I will attend the pre-race pasta feed where I will take a bite of spaghetti while simultaneously getting my first bite of the local marathon culture.

I think I'm gonna be sick. My stomach is one big knot of anxiety and anticipation. If I'm already feeling this anxious how on earth will I sleep Friday night and what will I feel like Saturday morning? I can only trust past race experience and know that race day magic will show up and do its thing.  So what if this is double the distance? I've done double the training! I will be ready. I am ready!  I know there are multiple folks praying for me as I embark on this adventure.  I know God is faithful and He will toe the starting line with me.  I am confident He will be running beside me at mile 10, mile 15, mile 20, mile 23 ... all the way to 26.2.  If only life had a fast forward button to get me through all this suspense, a way to jump forward to the starting line. But then I'd be missing part of the experience, wouldn't I? So, I'm gently reminding myself to enjoy this day and worry about tomorrow when I get to it. Today I'm taking Matthew 6:34 to heart!

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Of course, prayers for very little trouble race day are much appreciated! :)

2 Weeks To My First 26.2!

Today I am officially two weeks out from my first marathon. How does that fact make me feel? Well, I can sum it up in two words. The first word is, "AHHHHHHH!!!!" The second word is, "WHOO HOO!!!!!" Or maybe whoo hoo is two words. Either way, you get the idea. I am both petrified and exuberant at the same time. It was around two years ago that I first felt the bug to run a full marathon. My husband asked me to wait until our youngest was in kindergarten. I did. The summer before we sent him off to the big world of education, I began the process of reading everything I could on spring marathons in my area to determine which one would make the best first marathon experience for me. In September I adopted the 4 day running week my plan consisted of and made sure my weekly miles hit the 20 mile mark so I'd have a base to start from. November was the beginning of my actual training and March seemed so far away. I could hardly fathom what it would be like to run 16, 18 and 20 miles. Well, guess what! A calendar is nothing like a watched pot that never boils. I can't believe how fast the months (and miles) have flown. It's as if the normal passing of time is a slow walking pace but as I began my training runs, time sped up to run with me. Now I am only 2 weeks and 26.2 miles shy of my goal. I have to wonder if this is the point when time tapers with me? Does its fast pace suddenly slow down to a crawl in this last stretch? Am I going to feel like a child staring at the lights on the Christmas tree, wondering when the presents will be fair game, while the days move slower than Santa and his sleigh stuck in a foggy storm minus Rudolph? Or will time continue at its fast pace leaving me as the mom who has to bake cookies, buy gifts for 20 more people, mail out Christmas cards, wrap presents and still finish the promised Christmas craft all in two very swifly moving weeks? I guess only time will tell. So far I'm feeling like the rushed mom and for once, that is just fine with me! Time, bring on this marathon! Whoo hoo!!!! Or wait, maybe that's Ahhhhhh!!!!

Oh Wise 10K, Teach Me About the Marathon!

I ran the Smelt 10K Saturday. I wasn't expecting a great time as I've done NO speedwork lately. My focus has been lots of long slow miles as I ramp up for my marathon. Priorities, you know. :) Last year I finished the same race in 56:13. This year I finished in approximately 57:58 (final results have yet to be posted). Not great but not bad. The most exciting thing about the Smelt Run this year is it marked the end of February and the beginning of March. March is the month of my marathon. I am so excited I can already feel the butterflies storming my stomach. Yikes! If I'm already this excited there's gonna be full-grown eagles flying around my stomach by race morning!


This 10K taught me a lesson about myself. I've realized I really enjoy the longer distances. Shorter races are exciting and I'll still run them but, let's be honest, they hurt. They require hard effort the entire way. I have to focus all my mental energy on keeping pace, breathing correctly and pushing through. True, long slow runs also require all of the above but in a much more relaxed manner. Those details don't occupy my every thought. On a long slow run I'm able to let my mind wander and ponder. I can pray, I can dream, I can even compose an entire blog in my head! I can think of nothing if I choose. I can take the time to look at the scenery around me. I can listen to the birds chirp, watch the squirrels as they scamper across my path, and gaze in awe at the hawk or even eagle as they soar overhead. If I'm running with someone I can carry on a conversation. There are so many reasons to enjoy the long slow runs. My goal for this first marathon is just that - to enjoy it. I don't want to get so wrapped up in my finish time that I forget to have fun. I want to appreciate the scenery of the canyon and river as I run their path. I want to "meet" others who are running the marathon. I want this day to feel like the celebration it is. Yes, I may have pain in the end, I may have to use all my mental energy to climb the last long hill, I may have to knock a few bricks out of a wall in order to succeed but my plan is to succeed. So I guess the hard effort of the 10K is good for me. When I come to those last 6.2 miles of my marathon, I will remember that hard effort is also within my capabilities and I will run to the finish.