Marathon Week: Here I Am

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I am running my first marathon this Sunday.

My training runs have been very slow…like slow.  I am OK with slow, but for the first time ever, I checked the course time limits. I want to make sure I don’t get picked up by the sweeper vans.  I think I will be OK….I know I will be OK.  Sometimes I wonder what YOU guys think of my pace. I know, so darn silly.  I am always preaching to you pace doesn’t matter- you just go, however you can.

And I do.  I run, I walk, I run, I walk….over and over and over, to the tune of 26.2 miles in just a few days.  I know I will finish the distance.  I am 100% positive of that.  The time does not matter one bit.  I remember back in beginning, when I started training, I had a few goals for this race.

1. To reach the start line with no injuries.

2. To cross the finish line any ole way I can.

3. To enjoy myself.

Well, I am happy to say I have no injuries.  I will cross the finish line.  And, I have enjoyed myself along the way, although I did get bogged down with the monotony, the aches and pains, and the sheer craziness of training through the holiday season.  I lost ALL my BRF’s during this journey and completed many runs by myself.  My work schedule conflicted often with my training group runs and I did SO many of my LONG runs by myself.

I have a strategy.

(Pre-Race) Sleep. Eat healthy. Drink tons of water. Yoga.  Do not stress about ANYTHING.

(Race Day) Wake, yoga, foam roll.  Eat. Start even slower than my normal pace for the first 6 miles, then settle into my normal marathon pace intervals of 1-1’s for as long as possible. My girl Nora will meet me at mile 21 and run a few miles with me, give me a pep talk if needed, hand off any additional fuel I need and then I will finish the last few miles by myself.

If I can get my act together, I will arrange for some other friends to meet me along the route (Laura? Melanie? Jenny? All my other friends following along my running journey?).  My husband is running Sunday as well- he will finish well ahead of me and will be waiting for me with open arms when I cross the finish line.

Thinking about how I have reached this point where I will do 26.2 miles has had me very emotional these past few days.

I just can’t believe that I am about to do this. Me.  I hated running with a passion just 6 years ago.  I mean, I HATED IT.

When I did start to run, I said I would NEVER do a marathon. I had zero desire to do a marathon, ever….until I did.  At least once, I told myself a little over a year ago. Just do it once and check it off the running list.

Here I am.

I’m about to check *Marathon- DONE* off the list.

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