Touchy

So, the marathon is on Sunday. I am not the only person who knows this. People keep asking me how I feel, if I'm "ready," if I think I'll finish. I always respond with something generic to these questions, but what I really want to do is scream. I mean, the people who send nice notes to wish me luck and tell me I'll be great are super nice, it's the "are you ready?" question that sends me over the edge.

"I don't know, OKAY?! I don't freaking know!!! I don't know if I'm ready, I guess we'll all find out on Sunday, WON'T WE?! I don't know if I'll finish - I freaking want to, and I trained to, but maybe I'll die instead. NEXT TIME YOU ARE NEARING MY DESK, JUST KEEP WALKING OKAY?!"

I can't even describe what I'm feeling right now as nervous excitement. I am sort of angry - at myself - for signing on to do something so challenging and then being so PUBLIC about it. I had to raise money, so I had to be public, but what I really want to do right now is sit in a dark corner by myself with my bundle of nerves. NOTHING TO SEE HERE PEOPLE. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT ALL WENT WHEN I AM FINISHED, UNLESS I DON'T FINISH IN WHICH CASE YOU MUST PRETEND YOU NEVER KNEW I WAS DOING THIS, OKAY?

The Marathon is This Sunday, People!!

Dimitri and I watched a YouTube clip of someone driving the course last night, and I actually cried little tears of fear!

My fundraising goal has been met and surpassed. I've completed the standard marathon training schedule and run 20 miles without stopping. I've trained for 6 months. I've woken up at the crack of dawn every Saturday to run in the cold, the heat, the rain, and the humidity. But all of those little victories suddenly mean nothing to me. None of it means anything unless I finish all 26.2 miles on Sunday. It's go time.

I'm running hills one last time in Central Park tonight, for peace of mind more than anything else. I find myself wishing I had crammed in more cross training, paid more strict attention to everything I ate the last 6 months, or completed two 20 mile training runs instead of just one. I am semi-panicking. I try to remind myself that I have put the work in. That I'm just stubborn enough to finish. That the crowds will buoy me on when I'm flagging on the last 6 miles. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Look at that Little Man Crossing the Finish Line!

I made my $3,000 - yay! Now on my Fred's Team Page you can see my little donation tracker runner crossing the donation finish line, raising his arms in victory. I only hope I shall look the same at the end of 26.2 miles on race day. Dimitri is playing his second benefit concert for me in NYC tomorrow, Oct 16th, so we will go above and beyond my donation goal. Victory!

On a slightly down note, I got sick this week and have been sniffling and hacking away. I feel better today, but the cough persists. This is worrisome since coughing exacerbates my asthma, and if I'm running, I'm worried about getting into one of those terrible coughing fits that I haven't had in a while, that I used to get when I first started training. It is supposed to rain and be in the 40s this weekend, so I'm not sure what I'll do about our Saturday morning training run. I'm worried that being cold and wet for 10 miles will make my cold return with a vengeance. However, I really can't imagine myself running for 10 miles at the gym due to my extreme loathing of the treadmill. Anyone want to send me a plane ticket to a warmer, drier locale for the weekend!?

Chicago is a Cold, Cold City!

Dimitri and I headed off to Chicago for a wedding this weekend. The same weekend as the Chicago Marathon! I got my long run in on Saturday morning, running from Damen and North Ave over to Lake Shore Drive, up to Lawrence Ave, and back (16 miles total). Lake Shore Drive is an amazing resource - bathrooms and water fountains, yay! There were many runners out that morning, but it was cold cold cold. I was ill-prepared, having accidentally brought my Fred's Team singlet (tank top) rather than the long sleeved training shirt. Darn! I wore a cotton hoodie over it, but that did not do a terrific job of keeping me warm after it got sweaty. So now I am sick. Ho hum.

I am going to try to take it easy this week and cross train in the gym. Then on Saturday morning I am running the last 10 miles of the marathon course with Fred's Team! Also, Dimitri's NYC concert is on Friday night, so I am very excited for that.

The "Other Kenyans" and the Most Adorable Marathon Runner EVER

I was clicking around the ING New York City Marathon Website, and I came across the link for a Marathon charity that Edward Norton is running for, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.

There are runner profiles for the Maasai warriors who are running the NYC Marathon this year for the charity as well, most of whom have never left Kenya before in their lives. And this guy, Parashi Ntanin, he just put tears in my eyes. You have to watch the video where he shows his "running shoes." It is too much! I wish I ran fast enough to keep up with these guys, I would love to run with them. Says Parashi:

"Everyone says that I am the fastest runner in our group, but since this is my first time in a big city, I think I will try to run at the same pace as my friends so I don’t get lost." I want to hug him and make him dinner and buy him running shoes! Which reminds me, please donate your old running shoes to "Shoes 4 Africa".

Ever since I watched, "God Grew Tired of Us" I have been mildly obsessed with Africa. Now I am determined to visit Campi ya Kanzi - it has bumped the Galapagos from the top of the list, and that's saying something!

Now I Know I'll Make It!

So I had my last big training run on Saturday morning - 20 miles - and it was a success! Now I know that after taper I will definitely be able to make my 26.2 at pace on November 1st - which is a great feeling. I even had a running buddy for the last 6 miles, a nice gentleman named Larry who ran his first NYC Marathon right after 9/11. It made such a difference for both of us to run those last 6 miles together, that I have an idea now how much the spirit and camaraderie on the day of the marathon will really help me.

Saturday night was a big night as well - Dimitri's benefit concert in Setauket, Long Island! There was a nice crowd there, and we made enough money to bring me to just $82 shy of my $3000 goal. I know we will get there and beyond with the NYC concert on October 16th. Dimitri played beautifully, I was so proud of him, and we have a nice recording of the event as well on CD.

Next weekend we will be in Chicago for my friend Kari's wedding, so I will be running my 18 miles on Lake Shore Drive, the last long run before taper.

Fear and Trembling and ... Massage?

I forgot to mention that during the infamous 18 Mile Screw Up run last weekend, I was confronted with this guy who was not racing, but running in the park, in the opposite direction, and so crossed paths with me a couple of times. He looked like a hard-core runner, and as we ran past each other, he would look in my face and say "no pain, no pain." It was great, and helpful to hear, but there was pain. Pain and soreness and exhaustion and fear. Fear of getting too injured to go on, fear of not finishing. Fear that on November 1st, I wouldn't have it in me. This is ok, I tell myself. Even Kara Goucher was afraid of the marathon. She says she is still intimidated by the distance.

Most everyone I know who is training for the NYC Marathon right now is injured. Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ITBS, PFPS, and my biggest fear of all: stress fractures. I mean really, is there anything more horrifying than the fact that prolonged stretches of distance running can cause your bones to literally fracture?! I saw some guy running last weekend who had that funky kinesio taping over 90% of his legs. Because at this point, come on, who wants to default to next year? We have come so far, this has to happen!!!

There is a lot you can do as a runner to prevent injury, and so aside from the ice baths, speed, hill, and distance runs, I have a weekly injury prevention session that is a little less painful. Massage! Now, the only way I can really afford a weekly massage is because I go to this Chinese $1 a minute place in my neighborhood. You should have seen the look on their faces Monday night when my hour massage was over and I presented them with my full punch card (after 10 massages you get one free). They did not even try to disguise their displeasure.