Slide on the Ice

I've finished my training for the February 12 Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham. All my training runs are complete, and I'm taking today and Saturday off.

I'm very pleased with how everything went-- the schedule ran completely through the holidays and involved a road trip just after the first of the year, and I only missed one scheduled day. Other runs had to get reworked or shortened, but I also ran two 20-milers in preparation. I also don't know where the time has gone. Seems like not long ago that I ponied up money for this race at the end of October.

We live an hour away, in Tuscaloosa. I plan to wake up at 4 am and leave at 5, so we can arrive at 6 for the 7 am start Sunday. My wife plans to come along, and she will see me off, but I think she'll find a hot breakfast somewhere and a place to read. And with temperatures expected in the mid-20s, I'd say she's got it figured out.

I've spent a lot of time the last several days visiting with some running friends, getting a little reassurance and a little counseling. My friends all seem to think I'm ready, and the thing I worry least about is my training, since I followed my plan and hit most of my splits and what not. The course shows a few hills, but the elevation chart, in my opinion, seems more frightening than the road does. I don't underestimate the hills, but I don't fear them at this point.

What I now think about most is what to do during the race. Fueling, mostly. I pretty much agree with my friend Tommy who says that we don't have enough information to know what will happen. I can infer and make educated guesses based on my 20-mile runs, but everything is pretty much an unknown. I plan to drink often and hit the Gu when it's offered, roughly every fourth stop on the double-loop course. Sipping works best instead of killing 20 ounces at once, since it leads to bathroom stops.

I also think about the last six miles. How will they feel? How will I feel when I get there? And I think I have my shoe questions worked out, but that's another question mark.

We'll head into town tomorrow for the race expo to pick up my race packet and cruise the booths for a little bit, then head home for a chance to relax and head to bed early.

This all reminds me of something Allan Arbus' character, Dr. Sidney Freedman, said in the TV series M*A*S*H:

"Pull down your pants, and slide on the ice."

I can't really logically explain how this phrase speaks to me, but it does. Not necessarily to take a chance or to take risks, though I have certainly done both. But more to just go for it, relax, and let my training take over.

T-minus 45 hours and two sleeps until race day.