Woohoo! The race is tomorrow!! -- CarenClark.com Message Board

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Date Posted: 11:23:14 10/26/02 Sat
Author: Caren "nerves of steel" Clark
Subject: Woohoo! The race is tomorrow!!

In less than 24 hours, I'll be at the start line!

I've been a nervous wreck all week, but after going to bed early and getting a lot of sleep last night, I woke up feeling confident and excited. I'm ready to run!!

Yesterday, I got my first taste of just how insanely crazy the marathon's going to be. I went to marathon headquarters at a hotel in VA to pick up my race stuff (bib, timing chip, goodie bag, etc.) and it was packed! There was a big expo going on with lots of vendors and demonstrations. Runners of all ages, shapes, and sizes were everywhere. Plus, tons of Marines--what a scenic course it will be. ;)

Then I went to the AIDS Marathon Pasta Party to do some serious carbo-loading. I had a good time. I met up with my pace group and we talked strategy. Most of us were feeling the same way, a combination of excitement and nerves, and we were all very eager for race day to get here already!

We heard from guest speakers, including a rep from the Whitman-Walker clinic, who thanked us for our fundraising. I was touched when he said we're not just running tomorrow--we're changing the world. In a way, that is true. Maybe someone's life will be saved by the money that was donated. Maybe another person will get education about AIDS and never have to worry about living with HIV.

We then has another special guest speaker: JEFF GALLOWAY!! That name meant nothing to me before I started this program, but I was thrilled when they announced him last night. He is an accomlished runner and Olympian who now writes for Runner's World magazine. He essentially introduced the idea of incorporating brief walk breaks into long runs in order to avoid muscle fatigue. His program is steadily gaining popularity in the running world, and official Galloway pace groups can be found in big races across the country. AIDS Marathon uses the Galloway method in its training.

Galloway also threw out some interesting statistics. He said that less than one-tenth of one percent of the population will complete a marathon each year. He said that while 10-20 million Americans begin training for marathons each year, only 1 in 20 actually continue training to make it to the start line.

When I got home last night, I had 7 messages on my machine from people calling with encouragement. That was so nice! :) My little brother even got our dog Molly to bark into the phone for me LOL.

The weather looks decent for tomorrow. Partly cloudy, mid 50s to low 60s. It will actually be a little warmer than ideal (40s would be better), and the humidity will be pretty high, but overall, I'll take it. :)

I feel pretty good. In terms of taking stock of injuries, aches, and pains, this is the only stuff bugging me right now:

-minor twinge in lower left leg that I've had for a long time
-slight muscle pull in back of left knee
-both knees have been bothering me since the 26-mile run, which is strange because I've had absolutely no knee trouble until now

So that's it. Nothing unmanageable that I can't run through. I'll ice everything today and take some anti-inflammatories tomorrow morning.

Today I plan to pack everything for tomorrow, clip my toenails, drink tons of water, eat more pasta tonight, and decorate my race singlet. I'm going to put "Caren" on the front (and not "Run Inky Run" as my brother suggested), but I haven't decided on what to put on the back yet. I'm thinking of "Beat the Bridge" or a simple "Woohoo" (inside joke for my pace group).

So that's what's going on now. The next time you hear from me, I'll be back to tell you how it felt to cross the finish line!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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