6 Days Until the Big Day

A week from yesterday is The Honolulu Marathon.  A race I've had on the calendar and have been training for since January.  Hopefully not just putting miles under me, but smart miles on my legs.  I raced, played with different fuel, and have mastered the art of not running (literally!) into the racer who walks through the aid stations.

I'm a mess.  Lacing up my Newtons to run a 5k this morning hardly seemed worth heading out the door, but I know a nice slow run after yesterday's hilly 10.25 will keep me strong and fresh for Sunday.    Tomorrow is a 4 miler and Wednesday is a day off.  Running is what calms me, keeps me centered, and when my nerves most need calming, a long run won't help me obtain my goal on Sunday, which is to finish strong.  Taper.  Might as well be a cuss word.

The Honolulu Marathon Facebook page just posted pictures of the start, finish, and I love running through downtown and past Honolulu Hale with the Christmas lights.  Trying to focus on what I love about Honolulu, vice what I what to accomplish, but the time clock keeps jumping to the forefront of my thoughts.

Boston?  Top 25 Women?  Am I really capable of breaking a 3:30?  Are the crowds those first few miles going to frustrate me?  Or will I be able to rejoice that I'm in the midst of almost 30,000 marathoners?

I'm hoping to stick to my plan, get chicken skin when the fireworks go off at the start, watch my Garmin more than I probably should, smile at the purple TNT runners who are running while raising $, not cuss at the 5 hour marathoners who insisted on starting at the front of the pack, nor get caught up in who is running next to me or passing me (until mile 20, than it's game on!), and pray that 11+ months of training paid off and I cross that finish line before 3:30.

As for my 16 year old son who didn't train yet beat me by 2 minutes in last month's Half (longest distance he had ever run) and will be running his 1st marathon on Sunday....that's for tomorrow.