The St. George Marathon is a mere 5 days away. I am excited and nervous like I am before any race, but I don't have the pressure I did last year. I would like to qualify for Boston but don't feel like I have to this year.
But I think the best part of this year's race is that I have so many friends running it that it'll basically be a big giant party. I have friends from high school coming to do it, most of my best running buddies from here will be doing it. (I am super bummed that my sisters are not doing it. I was looking forward to kicking their butts) Some are doing their first marathon, others are veterans who are going for pr's. Some want to qualify, others just want to cross that finish line. Some are raising money for charity. Click here for more info on the charity team we joined. Some have spent plenty of money already on registration, shoes, energy gels, gatorade, new clothes, chiropractors and massages, etc.
But I think we are all excited to race 26.2 miles in beautiful southern Utah weather and scenery. I know I am. I am excited to push myself to my limit. I am excited to be sore the following week. I am excited to be part of the charity team. I am excited to eat lots of yummy carbs this week. I am excited to only run maybe 7 miles total this week before Saturday. I am excited to see old friends. I am excited to try to keep up with current friends. And I am super excited to cheer everyone on at the start and finish lines. I am hoping the weather stays nice and my stomach cooperates after the race so I can cheer all my peeps in. (Sorry to the speedy ones, they'll just have to settle with a good luck at the start line and Tom can probably cheer them in at the finish.)
It is so amazing to me how excited and diligent and awesome a marathon makes people. I have super enjoyed sharing 4 months of training with so many. We had organized long runs on the course. We've run (and organized) pre-race races. I've got to keep up with training on blogs and facebook and even on the traditional phone. We've talked injuries, digestion problems and toenails. We've discussed clothing and hydration and nutrition.
Even my peeps not running the race are awesome. Many have still trained with us, going long miles just to go long miles. They listen and act interested in the race. They support us. They've run other races with us or cheered us on as we ran them. They'll be cheering us on (at the finish line or from home) at the real deal. Some are even volunteering at the race expo. And hopefully many of you will be running the race next year.
It is going to be a great race and has been a great season. Thanks!
10 comments:
I'm so envious of the social group you have developed from your racing. I have no one. I train and participate all alone. It's so sad. I'm a little hesitant to join any running groups, thinking that they are all much younger than me. Any suggestions? Good luck on the Utah marathon.
You make me want to run a marathon!
It would never happen though.
what are nervous about? you'll do awesome, somethings never change. You'll do great and good luck
I will be cheering you on in my heart, and from my beloved Grandmother's house.
ok I am officially nervous. I am just hoping to finish, I could probably swim 26 miles faster than running it.
you are going to do awesome! I hope I see you guys down there.
ahhh, the excitement of the marathon. I miss that. you are going to rock this 26.2 and have a total party doing it. one of my favorite marathons was one I trained and ran with a bunch of friends. it's a good way to do it. good luck! :)
I'm definitely in the nervous group too.
You and Tom have been a huge help to me over the last year with training. It helps so much to get input from people who know what they're doing.
I'm ready to lose me a toe nail!
marathon runners amaze me. good luck!
You will love the BB. Lots of people pick up in groups all the time. It would be good to take turns picking up to save that gas! Email Mariah about setting up a site in Hurricane. she is the one that got ours OK'd and set up.
Hey there,
Before you can set up a site, you have to find a volunteer site coordinator to mentor under. They will give you the site and how to sign up as a mentee. You'll have to help out with the mentor's site for several weeks to learn how it works from beginning to end and learn about the paperwork that is involved. Mentoring will also let you know about the time commitment. Here in Tucson there were a couple of women that thought they wanted to set up a site, but then decided it was too time consuming so they never did. I've been trying to get the one here in the neighborhood for a couple months now...it can be a long process. So when you pick up this weekend, ask the volunteer site coordinator if she would mind mentoring you, then she can walk you through all the rest that is required. I've learned that it takes quite a while to get everything set up, and you have to stay on them to get things with the communication till it's all set. Good Luck. As I get a couple weekends under my belt I can send better information to ya. I haven't actually done it yet so we'll see how it goes, and I can pass on more later. :)
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