Pre-race jitters

I am so excited to be running a marathon again, I can hardly focus. Here’s what I’ll be thinking about throughout the Little Rock marathon on March 4.

Starting line: I will look around and take in the energy of all these runners, anticipating their marathon. We’ve worked hard, we can hardly wait. Some of us have done this before, some are running it for the first time, but we all are part of this crazy running community. I’ll hug my friends and wish them a good race. As the National Anthem is played, my heart will swell with gratitude, I’ll sing along and let the tears flow.

Miles 1-3: I will focus on holding back, keeping my breathing even and enjoy the run across the bridge.

Miles 4-6: As we head back over the bridge and go through downtown again, I’ll get ready for my first fuel intake and celebrate 10K accomplished.

Miles 7-9: During this point, we go past the state capitol. I’ll think of those who are public servants and pray for the upcoming elections.

Miles 10-12: I think about this being my 13th marathon and how thankful I am for my health. I’ll be fueling again during this section and I’ll be thankful for my new fueling strategy and how much more energy I have now. As the halfers separate for their turn to the finish, I’ll clap for them and me, now there’s more room!

Miles 13-15: Now it’s time for the big, long climb up Kavanaugh. This is what we trained for. This is why we ran Golf Ball Hill over and over. We are ready for this, it’s just a bump in the road. The houses around here are beautiful and the flowers are probably all in bloom.

Miles 16-18: Downhill section, what relief, easy on the quads now! Refuel again. I’ll be praying for Dorothy and Angie, two other bloggers or podcasters who give me inspiration and are running marathons in other states today.

Miles 19-21: Turning around on Riverfront, I can see who is behind me and greet my friends, assuming there are any there! I’ll encourage, encourage and encourage and look for all those Marathon Maniacs so we can give a shout out to each other. At mile 21 I'll start counting my miles as #1, - 6, just a mental trick to stop focusing on how many miles I've run and focus on only 6 more miles.

Miles 22-24: I’m in my final 10K “sprint,” I will not give in to pain (unless it’s my knee). I will think about my son, Chris, who went to his eternal home during his 23rd year. I’ll rejoice that he is in Heaven, having the time of his life, and he’s watching me race with pleasure. I know he’s cheering me on.

Miles 25-26: I’ll continue to think about Chris, these past two years that he hasn't been with me, and I’ll run this segment for him, for all those things he didn’t get to do with us and I’ll make sure that I run strong. I will trust in God to give me strength and help me persevere when I want to walk. As I go under the Broadway underpass and see that lipstick stand, I’ll grab the prettiest mauve and prepare for my finish.

Finish line: I am running strong, I don’t know what my finish time will be, but I’ll celebrate that I am running a marathon again, after being off for a year. I’m a marathoner x 13 and I have a HUGE dinner plate size medal around my neck!

Little Rock Marathon and future runs

After running the Post Oak events (10K trail on Saturday and 1/4 hilly marathon on Sunday) the weekend before, I was a little apprenhensive about how much I would have in the tank for Little Rock the following week. I did not run at all after Post Oak and felt rested for Little Rock. I wasn't running with my ususal running group since some of them did the full marathon at Post Oak but I had made arrangements to meet with some other runners that I run with during the week. We said we would "look for each other" at the start. I thought I was supposed to be in the open corral even though the 5 hour pace group was in the D corral. I don't know why I thought that except for the fact that I saw bibs with C or D and mine had no letter and rule follower that I am, I didn't want to be in the wrong place. Once the race started and I saw how s-l-o-w the pace was in my area, I realized that I had made a huge mistake and wished that I had lined up with the 5 hour pace group. I did manage to catch up with them around mile 4 and thought I'd see the group I was supposed to run with but they must have been further ahead. I managed to stay ahead of the 5 hour pace group until I hit the long hill at Kavanaugh and then they got ahead of me. I let myself get really discouraged on this hill and mentally checked out and could not wait to finish this marathon but I took it really slow, lots of alternate walking and running.
The marathon overall is well-supportedby spectators, nice expo and an ok course. I don't think it is very scenic but a nice variety of rolling hills, two good sized hills (at the middle and at the end) and relatively flat from 20 until that hill at the end. The weather for me was perfect, mid 30s at the start and high 40s at the finish. I enjoyed seeing one of my friends achieve a PR and the medal is what LR is famous for. I also enjoyed meeting Angie who has a podcast "Marathon Training Academy." This was my first run as a Marathon Maniac and I enjoyed greeting other maniacs and talking about our marathon experiences. I did not feel like a maniac on this day though! We plan to do it again next year for the 10th anniversary of the run and plan to run as a group.
I didn't run again until Thursday of this week and still felt sluggish but when I ran on Saturday, I felt like a new woman, did 8 miles and felt really good. Saturday was a picture perfect day and I felt so good to finally have a good run. Then we had a really good time getting together at IHOP and hearing about some other marathons and running stories.
I am going to take it easy for awhile, Little Rock was an endurance event for me, did not enjoy it at all, I am really tired for some reason. I love running too much to let this get the best of me. My next races will be short ones, Wish Lemons 5K, McMurtry 25K trail run, Run for the 10, OK Memorial Marathon as part of a relay, Jenks Aquarium Half Marathon, El Scorcho 25K trail in July and the Marine Corps Marathon in October.