Today was my very last time on a treadmill for a looooong time! The tempo run was just 3 miles at PMP (Predicted Marathon Pace). Our PMP is about 10 min miles. I got onto my treadmill, did a little walking warm up, and then started my 3 mile run. It was over before i knew it. After all the miles we've put in and all the hours we've spent, 3 miles is absolutely nothing. When i was finished, i got off the treadmill, stretched, and left! Goooooodbye Gym! :-)
So the marathon is less than 36 hours away. Every time someone says good luck, or i hear the word marathon, or i read an email or something online about it, i get butterflies in my stomach. I'm a ball of nerves right now. I know i trained, i know i put the miles in, but all of it doesn't matter if i can't perform in the race. The race is the goal. The finish line is the goal. I'm so proud of my group and myself for coming so far and doing so well throughout training. Aside from Elvis, we all escaped debilitating injuries, we went out every weekend--snow, rain, wind, cold--and ran our long runs, and we were on that treadmill every week running sprints and IW's. No excuses--just hard work! I couldn't be luckier to have this group surround me on this journey and i wouldn't want it to be anyone else!
Maureen and I got shirts made up for the marathon in honor of my Dad. They are so awesome, and i will be posting pictures to the blog when we get back from DC. I also made huge posters for Greg to hold up while we run by for motivation :-) I am excited for this whole experience and i want to soak it all up and enjoy every second of it--It might be my only time doing this! Ha, i did decide that i hope the marathon is same way people say your wedding day is. The ever popular line "It goes by so fast!"...because that would be sweet!!
Thank yous:
Maureen--always my voice of reason. "Kell your sick, you really shouldn't be pushing yourself right now." "Kell, you probably should let Elvis rest because we have a long run this weekend." "Are you drinking enough water and keeping hydrated?" Its nice to have someone looking out for you, and taking care of you out there, and I'm so lucky to have it be my sister. I always knew i was safe, i always knew i was getting the BEST advice, and i always knew I'd never be alone running.
Mike--best marathoner i know! Thank you so much for all your tips and advice and words of encouragement. I couldn't have asked for a more experienced, trained, marathon runner to lead the group. You've said everything there is to keep me pushing myself and you've offered up so many helpful hits for racing. Also, thanks for the ride when i couldn't run anymore :-)
Danny--running buddy. You've waited outside many a bathroom and next to many a water fountain waiting for me. This training schedule was a lot of things--but easy was never one of them. It was nice to be able to talk to you about runs and complain to you about runs. I appreciate that no matter how slow i ran, you never left my side, except when you sprinted to get the car. I never had an accident while running and its because of you :-) You always believed i could get here and make it to race day, and thanks for the faith you had in me when i didn't always have it in myself!
Now I'm getting all emotional as race day approaches. I know that we are going to make Daddy so proud. We are going to run our little hearts out and leave it all out there on the road. Best of all--we are going to do it together. Love you guys!!
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