By choice.

So, my BIG RACE WEEKEND is HERE!  I'm running a half marathon today and a full marathon tomorrow.  Today, I am completing the Tyranena Beer Run​ in my mom's home town.  I am an ambassador for the Milwaukee Running Festival​ and could have registered for any distance on Sunday .... and I chose the marathon. Yikes.  Yup, I've got this.  Did I mention that Running Diva Mom Studio is opening up with my first classes on Tuesday morning?  Yup, I've got this (again).

Even though nerves are high.  And my right hamstring started bothering me this week, I am physically ready.  Baby Diva is only ten months old, but I am feeling great!  I'm in much better shape than before I had her.  I completed a full marathon in 4:05 just five weeks ago in Milwaukee - while running 8 miles the day prior.  I completed two 22 milers, a couple 20s over the summer.  Several runs between 14-18 miles.  A few back-to-back runs of 14-20.  I am ready.  I have a nutrition plan.  My mindset just needs to be ready.

 

I'm nervous.  Like really nervous.  I laid in bed reading past midnight last night.  I was up several times last night and again this morning with a nervous stomach.  It's just part of the race process, right?!  Baby Diva never wakes up last night, and last night I found myself rocking her back to sleep.  Hubby went out for a group run early this morning and I woke up not long after him, because the thoughts were just racing (pun intended!) through my mind.  I couldn't sleep.  Excitement.  Wonder.  Doubt.

I have no real time goals.  I know that I am not hoping to set a PR - or even come close to my usual times this weekend.  I just want to finish - and be able to walk after.

I was planning on running today's half with a distant cousin, as we are surrounded by family on the race course.  However, she became injured this week and is unsure whether she will participate.  I'm going to try to pace myself and run a bit slower today - around a 2:05-2:10.  My typical half marathon times are 1:58 or so.  The race doesn't start until 11:30 and I should finish around 1:30, then head to a favorite restaurant for a quick meal with our extended family and then continue driving onto Milwaukee to pick up my packet before the expo closes at 5:00 pm.

We just realized that the host hotel doesn't have a pool.  As if staying in a hotel room with three kids wasn't a challenge enough.  But at least we will have cable - something that we don't have at home!!  We are hoping to order pizza in the room and head to bed early.  Worried about the time change a bit and not getting where I need to be when I need to be there.  But I will either get an extra hour of sleep or be where I need to be early - instead of late.  Right??!!

Tomorrow, my plan is to catch the hotel shuttle to the startline in downtown Milwaukee while my family sleeps.  The race starts at 7:00 am.  Not much of a turnaround time between my two events, huh?!  I should see my family once, as we run past the hotel early on in the race.  Once.  Other than that, I probably won't see them again until the finish.  My hopes are that I will finish under 4:45.  My recent marathon finishes clocked in around 4:05-4:10.

Tomorrow, my training program will be finished.  And I'll have two new shiny medals to add to my collection and two new race shirts to wear with pride.  I will have accomplished something that I never thought that I could do.  I hated running the mile in gym class - and now I'll complete close to fourty miles in one weekend.  By choice.  I'd say "another race season in the books".  But, I'm not training for a race - or even these TWO races.  I'm training for LIFE!