Freaking out!!

Ok, so it's Wednesday, which means in 2 1/2 days I will be boarding a plane to NYC!

My Team in Training buds Louise and Maria and I have been in close contact throughout these past couple of weeks.  Louise sent me this article yesterday about the course and Bob Glover's strategy for tackling it.  As I mentioned previously, I really admire Bob and Shelly-Lynn Glover's methods and I have a great book by them entitled The Competitive Runner's Handbook, which I used extensively in my marathon training.

This book was awesome and really helped all aspects of my training, including nutrition, rest, injury prevention/treatment, mental toughness, and race strategy and tactics.  Anyway, I was glad to read more of Bob's words of wisdom.  But it started freaking me out!

First of all, I know there are hills on the NYCM course.  Many hills.  Of varying sizes and lengths.  But I was mostly focusing on the bridges, while I now am coming to fear the ordinary street-based hills because those are the ones I won't be expecting.

Secondly, Bob mentioned that NYCM is not a great course for setting a PR.  Well, I knew that.  And to be honest, my last time was so slow that I am pretty certain I can beat it on Sunday.  But the whole "take your latest half-marathon time and double it" rule doesn't really apply...you'll have to add an additional 10 minutes or so on there.  So if I take my 2:20 time, doubled is 4:40, plus not ten but twenty minutes...that's...5 hours!  But am I really to believe that 5 hours is possible for a second-time marathoner who is, well...slow as sh*t? :)

Anyway, enough self-deprecation.  It is time to be positive!  To get excited!

This week's schedule is "great," but is also making me antsy because I am not used to running this little.  After my 8 miles on Sunday, I took Monday off and then did 4 yesterday (choosing to walk the huge Steelyard hill instead of running it, to preserve my legs a bit).  Today is off, although I am feeling weird about that.  Oh well, guess I have to just suck it up.  Tomorrow I will run 3.  Then, the last time I will run before Sunday is a quick and easy 2 on Saturday morning.

 So far, I have heard from a bunch of people who said they're gonna cheer.  Just to keep track of them in my mind, I'm going to list them here:

BROOKLYN

Miles 2-4 (Bay Ridge): Emily, Kirsten

Mile 6.5 (4th/11th): Judy & Lenny

Mile 7.5 (4th/Union): Derek, Matt & Sarah

Mile 11ish (Bedford Ave. Williamsburg): Trish

[Melissa will also be in Brooklyn, playing with a band, but I'm not sure where yet. Also, Allison is watching but not sure if she'll be with Emily or with Trish.]

QUEENS

Not sure where (or if they will be in Queens, but I heard from Nicole, Lauren, and Josh that they will be watching, and they all live in Astoria, so...??)

MANHATTAN

Here's where I start to not have any freakin' clue.  I know Derek will make it up here, as will Heather & Mike (and Kiera?), Kristin & Kathryn, and my parents.  This is what I do know:

Mile 14 (Aid Station 13, 1st Ave): Dorothy (volunteering at an aid station! Cool!)

So hopefully I will hear from these people and find out what's going on, so that I can make sure to look for them!  I think I'll have to write their names on my arm or something!

More at a later date. :)