So close!

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is next weekend!
Wow, back in December when I signed up for the training with Runner's World, I guess I never fully expected to get to this point. I am going to run for 26.2 miles this coming Sunday morning. This from a girl that a year and half ago thought that people who ran were crazy, crazy people. And, now I am not only running the marathon, but I also have a goal time of 4:30!
Interesting things I have learned:
1) New running terminology: PR (personal record), tapering (cutting down your weekly mileage in anticipation of the marathon), FARTLEK (I honestly really don't know what this means, but I think it is funny!), kilometers (which we all know I still haven't caught on to quite yet), splits (which I know what this means, but I have no idea how to explain it!)
2) You can get up, run early in the morning, and still go to work afterwards. I have started running at 6 a.m. two or three mornings a week-which is going to suprise a lot of people. Which means I have to get up at about 5:20 a.m. I consider 5:20 a.m. the middle of the night. So the fact that is my new wake up time is very suprising to me! And, for all you non believers out there, the sunrise is beautiful, and you really do have more energy for your day after working out in the morning.
3) Don't try to explain complicated theories you don't really understand to your husband who is super smart (he may make fun of you.) I have started taking yoga a few months ago, and had really been enjoying the benefits it has added to my running. So I am trying to explain to Stuart how it is kind of like a law of science, the one that says 'for every action, there is a opposite reaction.' Or, however that crazy saying goes. Anyways, Stuart starts asking me really hard questions like 'Who's law is that?' and 'What number law is that?' So it is Newton's first law of physics. Finally, I got fed up and explained it in my terms, yoga is the opposite of running. So they complement each other very well. And, my lovely husband replies (while laughing) that he is going to write a blog about me. Well, I beat him to it!
So I am ready to run a marathon. I am tapering right now, preparing to load up on carbs over the next week, and most important have a brand new running outfit all picked out to wear.
Oh, before I forget http://tracking.theendresultco.com/2009/okcmm/index.php
that is the web address you can register to recieve text message or email update of my porgress of my marathon if you would like to track me as I run this Sunday...
So I don't have much more to add, other than I will give you all a full report of the marathon next week!

3 comments:

Mrs. Northern California United States said...

Go get them! I know you'll do great. Hopefully I will be awake by the time you finish. :-)

Anonymous said...

Find Brenda and I before the race if you get a chance. Pick wisely on your outfit. Most of all, good luck...you will do great.

Kaci said...

Good luck on Sunday! I hope I see you and Kelly. By the way, a fartlek can be considered a form of speedwork. A typical example would be to run hard to the next telephone pole, slow down, then pick another object and run hard until you reach it, and so on. Fartlek is throwing in bursts of controlled speed into the middle of your workout. It can be as easy or as hard as you want to make it. There are no set distances.