The Starting Line

Has it been so many weeks since I have written in this blog?  I'm not sure anyone is reading it anyway, but I thought I should record my thoughts and concerns about the upcoming marathon this Saturday - only four days from now.  I have been bothered by a nagging injury - a recurring tendinitis that seems to involve all the muscles and tendons of my lower right leg, the ones used for driving.  I suppose this means I have been going on too many drives and not enough runs, because during long runs it completely disappears.  That's when all the other aches and pains raise their nagging heads!

And then there is the rain - going up this week from a 70% to an 80% to a 90% chance on Saturday.  I do not look forward to running four-and-a-half hours in cold rain.  So I called the Holiday Inn to see what their cancellation policy was, and found out that it had already passed.  This seemed to be the final sign I needed to go ahead and prepare myself.  So I made reservations at Connor Steak house this morning, gathered together all my receipts and other information, and began to organize my running gear, which does indeed include a wide variety of options for rain.  And instead of running my chainsaw and splitting firewood today, I think I'll do some light work around the house, like hanging up Christmas lights outside.

Four years ago I qualified for Boston at this race, and they were also calling for rain, as close to race time as the evening before.  But it miraculously dissipated, and the same thing can happen this time.  I have already decided - and stated publicly - that if it is pouring rain at 8:00 a.m. on  Saturday, I will simply call it off, and save this fitness built up over so many weeks for another race, like the hot Chocolate 10-K in January.  I have nothing to prove.  And hard training never goes to waste.

But if the weather is half-way decent - that's all I ask, really, 50% or so - then I will go for it.  "The readiness is all," as Lord Hamlet said.  And I am ready.

And besides, I need a new hat.