23 Hours To Go!!!

How about a little pre race catch up...

I haven’t recounted a few of my runs including my last two long runs before my taper.  Really, there is not a lot to say.  They were easy on the scale of things.  Twelve miles and Eight miles respectively.  I had the Lovely Megan along for both of them and the Lovely Lindsay joined us  for the eight miles.  I love running with those girls!  They make me feel so young!  They are both still in their 20’s and I would like to say I felt pre-30’s when I run with them, but that would be a lie.  In fact the opposite is true...I am acutely aware of my age and place in life.  As they chat about finishing school and starting their careers, I talk about my now past career and my children.  I have in fact turned into “That Lady” who talks about her kids non-stop and really has nothing else current or relevant to say :P  They don’t seem to mind and frankly I kind of like being the “Responsible Mom” in the group.  That is not a phrase that has been thrown in my direction up until recently.

Well the big weekend is here.  I have survived the taper....barely.  I have heard rumors that people hate the taper and have no idea what to do with themselves in the last few weeks leading up to a marathon.  I, did not have that problem.  I in fact was MORE than thankful for the limited amount of miles that were on the schedule.  In fact there is not a chance I could have run more than I did.  

Virus after Virus has taken over our house including one that kept my never sick husband home from work.  I somehow pulled through with just a few aches and sniffles with an added scratch in my throat here and there.  I fully expect my body to break down next week  when it washes its hands of me and says  “There, I did my job, now go to bed and leave me alone.”

We have survived the first leg of our trip (barely).  The flight went great!  In fact this has been our easiest flight since we have had children.  The car pick up was not as smooth, but we saved $600 by taking a cab to an offsite car rental instead of using the airport one.  Less than ideal catching a cab with three suitcases, two strollers, two car seats, four backpacks and two screaming toddlers.  The kids and I hung out at the airport while Mike got the car.:P

After a quick visit with the hubby’s family we got on the road for the three+ hour drive to SLO.  Within  the first hour, it became very clear that Miss Pooh was VERY overtired and falling quietly to sleep was not in the immediate future.  This became clear about the time that she had her hand down her throat forcing herself to throw up blueberries all over her car seat and PJ’s.  Quick trip to the gas station and we got back to go.  Now we are cruising along on the 101 in the pitch black.  What else to do other than blog :D

I have run the spectrum trying to decide how to approach my race.  Just because I am who I am, I need a goal.  I would LOVE nothing more than to be one of those people who could just run it “for the experience”.  Not happening.  I keep telling myself to do that, and I know I will be present in the moment during the race, but there has to be a goal.  So here it goes:

A Goal:  Finish the race injury free with a smile on my face. (This has been my original goal since the minute I started training and frankly it is VERY realistic)

B Goal:  Finish between 4:30-4:59hrs with aforementioned smile and health.  This is pretty likely unless the heat is more than I can take or if I can’t keep myself under control and go out too fast and burn out too fast.

C Goal:  Finish around 4:15.  This isn’t exactly like the sun, the moon, and the stars aligning, but this is a good guess for everything going in my favor.  This is also my predicted time based on my most recent half marathon (which has me finishing at 4:13) and my 18mi run.  I feel as good physically and mentally as I did right before my 18mi run.

So what does all that mean?  Basically I would be over the moon if I met my C Goal and I am going to try my hardest NOT to be disappointed if I meet my A Goal.

I did somehow get a blood blister on the bottom of my foot today wearing flip flops-damn you Sun in CA!!!!  I am obsessing slightly, but I know there is not much I can do about it so I am trying to roll with it.  Plus I am on vacation!  I am obsessing less about just about everything right now luckily!

It’s going to be warm.  Warmer than anything I have run in in over four years.  I could obsess about that for awhile, but not much I can do about that either, so we will roll with that too.

So there you go.  Up to date and ready to roll.  We have a 6am PST Sunday start, so if you feel so inclined think of me around that time (or a few hours later when I will need the help) and send me some mental love to help carry me across the finish line.

Thank you all again SO MUCH for following along.  This has been an incredible journey and I am so glad I put this out there.  It has kept me motivated to keep going when I couldn’t find the motivation in myself.  I have been nervous at times to be fully open, but all of you have shown so much love and support, I couldn’t think of a reason not to share.  I am going to go back and read all my posts tomorrow night before I *try* to sleep.  I think that reliving the journey will put this all into perspective again.  Oddly right now this seems really easy, like no big deal.  I remember thinking what sort of an amazing feat it must be to run a marathon.  Now, I still think it is amazing for other people, but for me...Meh.  I oddly am STILL struggling to think of myself as an athlete let alone a runner.  How weird is that!!  I run tons of miles, but don’t think of myself as a runner.  Yet ask any muscle head at the gym that hops on the treadmill for 10min and they will say “Yeah, I’m a runner”  Just one of those things I guess.

Well, I am rambling now.  Time to sign off.  I’ll be back with the post race after Sunday.

Love and Peace to all

S