We're in... in 2011!

Do you know what you're doing on the first Sunday in November in 2011? We do - Thom John and I will (hopefully) be running the New York City Marathon! We just found out that we both lost the lottery drawing for entry - for the third year in a row! That means we should get guaranteed entry for next year!

Marathon Jitters

Ooooooh! 4 days until TJ runs the Philly Marathon on Sunday!! Ooooh! I'm living vicariously through him as each day brings us one day closer to the big day!

Here are some activities that would always help me pass the seemingly endless stretch of time until race day:

-Checking the weather for race day
-Studying the map of the race route
-Checking the marathon's website for updates and news
-Calculating possible (and impossible) finishing times and paces
-Planning water stops/GU stops along the race route
-Checking the weather for race day
-Drinking water like a fiend
-Stretching that mystery muscle that seems to suddenly demand so much attention
-Checking the weather for race day
-Planning strategy for race packet pick-up at the expo
-Drinking water like it's going out of style
-Checking the weather for race day

As Thom John was out running his last long run last Sunday (an "easy" 8 miles), I was thinking about the emotions a last long run before the marathon brings: the giddy feeling that this last run should take less than 1.5 hours instead of seemingly all darn day; the excitement that I will be thisclose to accomplishing a huge goal I've set for myself; the dread and slight panic of actually having to run 26.2 miles in one race; and the relief of knowing that there's a 98% chance that at this time the next Sunday, I'll be sipping a cold beer while wearing a shiny new medal around my neck.

I'm excited to cheer on Thom John and his friends as they gut out 26.2 miles through the streets of Philly & Manayunk, but I'm hoping to set Philly on my list for next year - if we can get someone to watch the baby, of course.