4 days and counting

4 days and some odd hours until race day... I'm getting nervous!  I'm always nervous before races but I'm really feeling anxious.  Maybe because I haven't done a race longer than 10 miles since Dec 2007.  Plus, I have no idea how my time will be on Sunday.  My training felt all over the place this time around.  I do not expect to PR and my training times started out (and continued) to be much slower than I expected.  Obviously it would be wonderful to come in under the 4:06 I ran in Dallas but I am no way planning for it nor will allow myself to be disappointed if I don't. I really hope to not go over 4:15.  I never signed up for this race with a specific goal in mind and never really formed a solid one in recent weeks.  Cleveland was to be used as a precursor to the Chicago marathon so I can have a better idea on how to train to break 4 hours.  So we will see what race day brings!

I have started the obsessive checking of all weather related websites.  Today reports a high of 60 and clouds.  So in the 50's at the 7 am start.  That would be my most perfect race day weather.  Of course it is still too soon to get excited about this possibility.  I received my information e-mail that includes my bib number.  Number 2126!  I have nothing good or bad to say about these numbers so I'm going with good!  

This week I have one more day trip on Wednesday to NY.  It is going to be difficult to wake up at 4:30 am - we just found out we are going to the Cubs game tonight with friends!  Sleep will have to wait until Weds night :)  Hopefully I'll be able to catch up before Sunday.

Thank You!

With 3 days to go I am feeling a bit emotional. I wanted to take the time in this post to thank friends, family and running blog friends alike for their support over the past few months and especially the past week. The outpouring of emails and phone calls of people just checking in and the motivating comments left here means so much. They have all brought a smile to my face! I know I have put in the work over the past months but it is only human to doubt oneself. When the weatherman started predicting the warmest day since 1947 friends and RBF's were there talking me through it. Others are emailing to ask where I need them to be on the course to support me.

As one wise friend reminded me today was to just remember the race is my payoff for the months of training. If that doesn't put it in perspective I don't know what would!




Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Confirmation Ticket and Reunion

It is official, I am running on 10/7/07. Well I guess it is official when I actually do the race but today I received my all important confirmation ticket in the mail that allows me to pick up my race packet at the expo. All of you who will be in the Chicago area or checking up on the progress of the Chicago Marathon my bib # is 43914. I barely made the cut...

So I have decided to alter my training schedule once again in lieu of this reunion weekend. I caught an earlier flight home by 3 hours today. Woo hoo! So I went for a "quick" 5 mile run before going to dinner with my man. By quick I mean I ran. My legs felt like 100 lb weights for the first 2 miles. Just getting acclimated to running outside after being a treadmill runner earlier this week but still not fun. So annoying but two runners ran into me without apologizing. I asked one where his manners were. When you pass on the right, come from behind, and hit someone the least you could do is mutter a sorry. Manners are underrated lately...

Instead of doing my long run Saturday in a new place around Akron, OH I am going to try to wake up early and do my long run Friday morning before work. Good thing I work from home and no one cares what time I start! Then off to Ohio. And now I'm nervous to go to this reunion. Basically b/c I want to make a good impression and of course have nothing to wear. I have lost weight since high school (about 25 pounds) and I need to look good without looking like I am trying to hard. Such dilemmas! I am resorting to high school mentality I know. It's hard not to when you grew up where I did. Alright off to pack!