Thoughts Before the NYC Marathon

It’s halloween so I’m currently dressed like Wonder Woman. Because, what else do you wear the day before you run a marathon?

This is really happening. I am going to run a marathon tomorrow. Me, the girl who used to walk the mile run in high school, is going to run 26.2 miles tomorrow. Excuse me, what?

I’ve been weepy all week thinking about the marathon. Weepy when I think about the finish line. Weepy when I think about hearing New York, New York as I start the race on Staten Island. Weepy when I was entering the expo yesterday and of course weepy when I had the marathon bib in my hands for the first time. I think it’s safe to say I’m going to be a crying mess for the entire race.

People constantly ask me why are you running a marathon. Especially considering the fact that I don’t love running. I won’t deny that a large reason why I’m running this thing is for the bragging rights. I have no shame in admitting that pride and glory are a motivating factor.

I knew I wanted to run the NYC Marathon this year, so when I didn’t get in via lotto, I decided to fundraise with Team in Training with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. I chose not to talk about this a ton here, but when I was 3 my dad was diagnosed with non-Hogdkins Lymphoma. He’s been incredibly lucky and has not had to undergo and serious treatment.

I know not everyone is this lucky. Thinking about that has also been a huge motivating factor. My dad might be the punch line of a lot of jokes in my family because of his outrageous personality, but I also know how fortunate I am to have him as my dad and to have him around when we didn’t always know if that would be the case. Everyone deserves a chance to know their dad like I know mine. That’s also why I run, to find a cure for my father’s disease. So others can be this lucky.

My stomach is currently hurting a little bit, I tossed and turned last night with dreams about missing the race and my legs have been hurting on and off this week because why not… but come tomorrow I know I will wake up feeling like it’s my freaken birthday, that’s how excited I’ll be.

As scared and nervous as I am for the race, deep down inside I know there’s no way I won’t cross that finish line. If I’ve learned anything about myself during the past 17 weeks of training, it’s that I will push through until I conquer whatever it is I set out to do. It’s not always pretty, and sometimes it hurts, but I will get it done somehow.

The training is done. The taper is almost over. The only thing left to do is eat copious amounts of carbs tonight and chill out.

Be on the look out for me, I’ll be the one in pink 🙂

Next time you hear from me I’ll be a MARATHONER!