Four Days to Whopner -- Marathon
04-25-06, 2:16 PM

With the marathon on Saturday, it�s the final week of training where I�m tapering down on my training runs to mere 6 (Monday), 4 (Wednesday) and 1 (Friday) mile runs and beginning to carbo load on Wednesday. As the week progresses, I become more anxious as evident of: my obsessive compulsive stint as a weatherman who continuously monitors the forecast every hour on net; reviewing the course map over and over again memorizing water and Powerade stations; creating various spreadsheets with pace times and adjusting for fading and hills; reviewing nutrition; arranging for people to be at certain miles waiting with dry shoes and socks, just in case it does rain; etc. I don�t want anything left to chance for the situations that I can control.

As part of training, my goal was to look �Fucking Hot!� which is one of the instant replies we use when people ask us why we�re running a marathon. Despite losing forty pounds through training and now having a toned body, I�m not quite at the �Fucking Hot!� stage with a ripping six pack. To do this, I must lose an additional twelve to sixteen pounds when I run the Chicago Marathon in six months from now. But for now, I�m focused on our city�s marathon.

The �girl� and I believe to get our proper mental �Fucking Hot!� attitude, we each required new running clothes that compliment our bodies and to put to shame those who wear the race event�s swag t-shirts. After spending $75 on new shorts and shirt, (I need to buy a hat yet), our transformation was not complete. Tans are required!

Shortly after our long run, we returned to my backyard and sun tanned. With a large backyard with surrounding privacy fence, she shed her shirt to the let the sun rays bronze her. �Woooo hooo!� was the twelve year old screaming in my mind but my sophisticated exterior said, �Let those Golden Bozos bake!� Naw, it would have been fun to say but I said nothing as this appear this nudity was okay in my conservative neighborhood. I did mention, �I have to wear shades because you�re so white that you look like as white as a Bass�s belly.� I gave a Kentucky Redneck reference instead. Tomorrow, we�re heading to the tanning salon to bask in the illuminated coffins.

Back to the present situation, the forecast is near perfect for me with cloud cover and low of 55 and high of 68 with a 40% chance of thunderstorms. Hopefully, the storms will wait until the afternoon but, in either case, I�m prepared.

Surprisingly, my family may even show �up to cheer us along the route. My father may just sit in the handicapped equipped van though as access and parking may become difficult for him as he is wheel chair bound. Yet, my OC nature, reviewed and recommended vantage point areas that may be easier for him to watch the race.

My goal is a sub-four hour race but the �girl� wants to aim for a ten minute mile pace. Ten minutes is fine but it is hardly pushing ourselves. Instead, I tried to compromise by offering a 9:30 minute mile with the hope that we�ll adjust during the race and pick-up the pace.

Yes, I�m confident but some injuries throughout the training year installed some doubt. I never had injuries before. I�m also five years older since the last time I ran a marathon and wonder what the effect may be? I wonder if this extra weight has to do with age or am I in better shape then the last time I ran? I have nagging little questions, but they will be answered Saturday morning

Yesterday - Tomorrow