T minus three days — the marathon is this Sunday. I’m starting to get just a tad nervous. I am very confident that I will finish the race because I’ve done all the necessary preparation, but I still have a few butterflies.
Those interested in tracking my progress can sign up at the Houston Marathon site; updates will be sent to your email account or cell phone every time I cross a split point. I’m not sure exactly where splits will be taken, but if it’s like last year they’ll probably be something like 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2), half marathon (13.1), 30K (18.6), 40K (24.8) and finish line (26.2).
There are 4:45 (10:52/mile) and 5:00 (11:27/mile) pace teams that I plan to keep an eye on during the race. I’m going to sign up with the 5:00 team at the expo on Saturday and start the race with them. I’ll run with them for as long as I feel like, maybe just the first 10-15K, maybe the whole race. Rich is running the 5K and is then going to meet me somewhere around mile 23-24 to run (shuffle?) the last bit (except crossing the finish line) with me. Those tracking me at home can expect me to pass the halfway point around 9:30 central time and reach the finish right around 12:00 central.
I wanted to do a final training run today, just a brief three miles. The retirement party for my division chief is tonight though, so I got up early this morning and ran before work. Despite all my running, I’ve never actually done that before except for my first fall here in 2002 when I took the fitness class. It was nice to start the day with a good run, and nice to be out while it was cool (though because of a front that blew through and woke me up at 1 a.m. last night, it will probably be cool all day). I watched people leaving their apartments to go to work, and watched the kids climb onto the school bus. It was a nice change of scenery.
As long as I’ve gotten a decent night’s sleep, I run better in the mornings anyway. While I often feel like I’m more alert in the evenings, I think I actually have more energy, at least the physical energy needed to get my legs moving, in the mornings. Maybe I’ll try to run in the mornings more often. There’s also the benefit of getting my daily exercise done and out of the way, leaving my nights blissfully free. I can work all day and make evening plans without the need to do a run hanging over my head.
katie says
Good luck!!