Since I can no longer count down the days, but only the hours, until my race, there isn’t much left to say. I’ve finished all the training, eaten all the pasta and picked up my race bib. I can only try to get a good night’s sleep and hope that all the work I’ve put in comes together tomorrow.
It is now our second day on the island and we’ve been trying to get in a little touring without taxing my legs too much, which is hard because there is so much to see and do!
679 Kilometres
That’s approximately how far I have run since I began training in February. And taking into consideration there were days I didn’t bring my phone with me or forgot to start my watch until halfway through my run, 679km is the minimum.
That’s like running from my house in Calgary to Penticton B.C. via the Trans-Canada Highway, or to Spokane, WA or to Meadow Lake, SK.
I love tracking my running stats, but it’s kind of overwhelming to think about.
When anyone decides to take on the challenge of training for a marathon, they aren’t just making a decision for themselves but for their family as well. Taking a significant amount of time that you would usually reserve for other things, and putting it all towards one goal affects not only you but everyone around you.
In my case, my marathon training most significantly impacted my boyfriend Chad. As a full-time student who also works a part-time job, he has a lot on his plate. But over the last few months he has certainly stepped up by taking over jobs around the house that I would normally do, or even just being (extra) patient with me when I am tired and grumpy.
I finished my last day of work before the race and am now going to be off work for a whole week! Now the only thing I have to stress about is the 42.2km I have to run on Sunday lol!
After picking up the last few little items I needed for my trip and completing my last real run before the race, I treated myself to a manicure, done by my friend Amanda. I told her I needed ‘power nails’ to help me through the marathon. She really pulled through because I already feel faster 🙂 Sometimes having a rockin’ pair of nails is just the kind of confidence boost you need.
Today on Twitter runners were sharing their best worst advice to new marathoners using the hashtag #worst262tips (most of the people tweeting were in the U.S.). I picked out a few of my favourites to share with you. Enjoy!