We made it here just fine.

Figured out how to get from Queens to Manhattan and onto the expo before it closed. I had forgotten my camera in the room, and the expo was quite spectacular. Was in and out of getting my bib, my chip and my goodie bag in no time flat.

Have a bit of an issue. When my brother in law dropped us off at the airport, I went around the back to get the bags and just as I was popping the lid, I heard my sister say "wait!!" Too late. One of the bags came tumbling out and the edge of it landed square on the top of my foot. I have a nasty deep bruise but its far enough up that it shouldn't be an issue. Its just really sore and this morning its a bit blue. I iced at the airport and that probably helped some.

Ran my mile this morning, and my calves are sore from all the walking up and down stairs at various subway stations thru-out Manhattan. We certainly got our walk on last night. Today shouldnt be too much walking as once my niece and Nacole get here we are taking the big 5 hour bus tour all over the city. Tomorrow it will definitely be a cab day.

The weather here is fabulous and the high on Sunday is to be 53. Should be perfect.

I am nervous as hell, but I guess that is to be expected. Saw the Queensboro Bridge. The incline is indeed mountainous...I will be walking a lot of that I am sure...

Peace Out.

Obsession #4 - The Course

When it comes to telling someone you are running the NYC marathon, its been my experience there are only 2 responses

1. oooooooooooohhhh...how EXCITING!!!
2. oooooooooooohhhh...wow....hmm...gonna be tough

Mike Lucas said..."wow. I hear you're running NYC? Thats...um...gonna be a challenge..." It was the look on his face and the tone of his voice...

Well I know its a combination of those two...but lets face it. Even though I have been training at a 4:30ish pace, its highly unlikely that that will actually come to fruition for me in NYC.

I acknowledge and accept this.

This however consumes my mind at all times...I have studied the elevation chart. I have read and read and read. I have talked to some that have done it. Its hard. I know this. Its 'hilly' which means to folks like me, you might as well be climbing mountains. Especially at mile 15 over the Queensboro which is #2 on the list of toughest marathon hills. And then you know...there are those last 5-6 miles that will go on forever through the hilly part of Central Park.

Theres not much I can do about it, but it still has taken over the majority of my thoughts.

I have my goals, a set of them, as its always been my way to make several so that if I miss one, then I have another one to shoot for...and another one...and another one. This way I dont feel defeated and have the attitude of "I didnt make my goal, why even go on at this point?"...Thats not the way I roll. And its not the way I am wired.

Bottom line is even if I miss all my time goals, the one goal above all is to finish. In one piece. I might be crying from pain, and I might be barely moving...anything can go wrong you know...but I will FINISH.

I have done the training, through ALL the trials and tribulations and there have been many...through a hurricane...through it all...one mile at a time...thinking back I cant remember a time that I didnt do exactly as I was supposed to...I never let ANYTHING get in my way...and I intend to take exactly that with me to the starting line in just a few more days...I have 3 miles this morning, 2 on Thursday, and 1 on Friday...

I will go back to something I wrote back in 2007 right before my first marathon, that at the time really the one thing I remember most about writing it was an email from someone I didnt even know at the time...but would come to later...very well...but I remember how much they loved what I wrote and took the time to write me and tell me how much they were impressed by the words...

So I leave you with this:

May my preparation meet my opportunity on race day one more time, and I unleash my potential to the best of my ability.

Obsession #3 - Getting to the Start

Its very confusing.

Your bib has like 3 or 4 colors...can't remember now...but each color of whatever, floating background etc...indicates different things. Wave, Corral, etc...Just crazy. Its all very confusing to me.

The race starts at 10 (10:20 for me). I have to get on a bus at 5:30. And since I am staying in Queens, and don't have a CLUE (yet) on how to get from Queens to the NYC Public Library by 5:15...I know I have to take the subway...and my niece will go with me, I am still freaked out about it. Then once I get to Staten Island (not sure how long a bus ride it is), I know its like 15+ miles away? Again, I have no clue...I just know from Queens to the Start is 15 miles and I am guessing maybe a couple more from the NYCPL.

Anyway, the logistics of it all is just mind boggling and stressing me out. I guess with all the extra time its a good thing so that I can find my way to where I am actually supposed to be with plenty of time to spare. Which means I have plenty of time to just sit and wait. And sit and wait. And sit and wait. *sigh* And then I can sit and wait some more.

As of today its going to be about 40 that morning with a high of 51 and sunny. I guess thats not too bad to have to sit around in...Of course its 6 days out. Lots of time for that to change.

I know I need a new pair of running sunglasses since the lens fell out of my old ones.

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My carry on is packed. Why is it packed? And what is in it? Well first off its packed because it basically has all my race day stuff in it. And alternatives depending on weather changes. Gels, knee bands, shorts, shirts, running tops, Nike capris and a long sleeve UA in case its going to be colder than 40's (for the majority of the race)...shoes...all clean and shiny, socks....THE RIGHT ONES...you name it...if its something for race day its in there...oh and my official card so that I can get my bib and my chip....and the handbook....

They can lose my big suitcase, but no way in heck am I letting that carry on out of my sight even for one minute.

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I ran the 2 miles to the Houston Half this morning and cheered on for a while. Then I just got kinda bummed out watching everyone run and I wasn't able to...and decided just to go on and run the 2 miles back home.

Of course, Coach won. In like something crazy of course, but when you run 5 minute miles, well, the times are just crazy to me...He won the Pumpkin Run 5K yesterday too, and ran it 'slow' (17:04)...so that he could have the extra oomph for today...

Seriously, he just rocks.

Obsession # 2 - The Weather

Ah well, you knew that was going to be one of them, but yet its low on my obsession totem pole.

Accuweather.com has 15 day out forecasts for cities. This sucks you know? With 8 days to go I know it will change time and time and time again.

Its gone from rainy, to snow, to mostly cloudy. Back and forth. Back and forth. And the temps have done pretty much the same, going from extremely cold for start and finish, to mediocre for both, to cold for start and mediocre for finish.

Personally if the Start and Finish were in the 40's that would make me very happy.

Clothing is not an obsession as really there are only two options: 1) shorts and a short sleeve shirt with break away (Kenyan Way) sleeves, or Nike capris (for temps in the 40's the whole way) with an UA cold weather top (long sleeve). My sister will have a bag with her with other options should I need them, or need to discard anything as well along the way. Taking off and adding on is in my plan.

All I know is that it needs to be cold that day. And when I say cold, I mean like I said, 40-49 would be my idea of perfect. Anything over 55 at the last 6-8 miles and I am gonna be pissed :o)

Well all I can do is just keep checking. Although I will say I've been good at only looking once a day. :o)

OK, off to do 4 miles.

Obsession #1 - Weight Gain

I am starving all the time.

ALL. THE. TIME.

I can't seem to get enough food.

Now don't go thinking that I am 'dieting', because I am not, however, I am indeed watching my caloric intake, and when I am eating, its good for me stuff, nothing crazy in calories. I am not carbo loading...its too soon for that, as far as I am concerned.

I know I shouldn't be worried about this sort of thing, but honestly the LAST thing I want is to gain weight during taper and have to run with the extra weight. If I ate what I want, when I want it, I would certainly gain about 7 lbs between now and race day. Easily.

Um. No. I am not about to let that happen.

I know that a couple of days prior I will eat like I should...I am not going to really do anything differently than I have for all my long runs during training, other than probably eat a lot more on that Friday than I normally did 2 days out. I don't and never have eaten a lot past lets say 2pm day prior. With the race starting so late, and plenty of free stuff there, bagels and such, I can have what I need prior to Start ...

With the decrease in mileage, its way too easy for me (personally) to gain, and its just the first thing I am obsessing over...but its the low man on the totem pole...

Stay tuned for more obsession posts...

Is that a Baton in your Shirt or are You just happy to see me?

Heres a picture a friend of mine took of me after I had turned off of Ocean Drive, heading towards the Finish line. You turn slightly off to the left onto the grass before you actually get there. You can click on the pic for a better look at that chick in the pink, which was the one I spoke of in my race recap post (the one I was behind, caught and then smoked).

Beach to Bay Marathon Relay - Corpus Christi

For those that want the split details and not a full account...here ya go...

Leg 6 (the CC bay run): 4.4 miles

Mile 1: 9:29
Mile 2: 9:32

Mile 3: 9:40
Mile 4: 9:26

.4: 8:26 pace (and yes, I picked it up big time because I felt so great and I knew I had had a great run of my leg)

Total time: 4.4 miles: 41.37
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When we first were trying to determine our individual paces for each runner, so that we knew approximately when to expect the handoff from leg to leg of the baton, I had put down 9:40. I thought I was being optimistic, due to the fact it was the 6th leg...and the threat of a high sun and high temps, although saying if it was a 'bad' day, I might be at 10K pace (10:07). Again I thought I was being overly optimistic...Of course as you can see I had a really good day...and probably could have done better, but I was cautious because I didnt want to bonk, even though the miles were clicking by quickly and I felt better and better with each stride...

Well according to those that have been around this race in its last 33 years say this is the BEST weather ever on this race weekend. I tell ya, I only raced last year, and it was the 2nd leg, but I saw what the heat did to those that ran the later legs. So needless to say, going in to run the 6th and final leg I knew what I possibly had in store for me.

When we got here yesterday it was sunny and H-O-T. So you think...well there ya go... Your leg is gonna start about 10:30. Be ready. And I was.

Then race morning when we woke up...I look outside and its overcast. Dark and gloomy even...its 7am... We get outside and even more importantly, its probably about 68 and what felt like only a bit of humidity but the wind helped there...we could only hope the wind would be at our backs or at the very least, a cross wind.

I dropped Sam off at leg 4 and made my way back to Swanter Park to find a place to leave the car for when Sam came to get it to drive to the Finish. Judging by the times given by the other runners I had about 2.5 hours of nothing to do...I sat in the car for about an hour before I ventured on down to the hand off area to look for people I knew. About 40 minutes later Sam arrived and hung out for a bit and then I knew to get closer to the handoff area to wait. Bryon was a few minutes late getting there, and I was more than giddy to get running...At this time, it was not so cloudy, and about 80 degrees I guess.

I saw him coming down the hill and then along the seawall, I grabbed the baton, immediately stuck it in my top and off I went. The first 1/4 mile is a slight incline back up to Ocean Drive and then a straight shot to the finish. The great thing about running the 6th leg alone Ocean Drive is that there are alot of really REALLY nice homes and people were out on the sidewalks cheering on everyone. A few people passed me in the first mile, then it stopped. And then I started passing. Seeing one person and focusing on passing them.

And so it went. Then all of a sudden there was a big gap between me and another girl. I didnt think I could catch her, but just before we turn off to head back down along the water, I caught her. We went stride for stride till finally I had had enough and I kicked it into another gear, the 8:26 pace. I didnt care how I was going to feel at the end...and there she went...somewhere behind me. I still managed to even catch a few more and in the last 100m I passed a couple more just for the hell of it.

I cant ever remember a time moving that fast, nor can I remember a time where I had a kick like that at the end of any race. It felt awesome.

I hadn't ended up on a competitive team, and sure I could have just run to be running, but thats not my nature. I feel really great about what I did down there, and it seems every time I race, a bit more confidence creeps in letting me know its ok to think...even if just for a little bit...that I am a good runner, and I have a lot more improvement in me....

The weekend was full of fun, friends and so much more. Its hard for me to think back when it was that I had such a perfect weekend.

There will be pictures later; right now, I am obviously finally home and need some alone time with my couch and my remote.