I have a condition that is afflicting me right now - I’m calling it “Marathon Brain.” I can think of nothing else but the marathon. I’m constantly doing math in my head, “This time…4 days from now…I’ll be halfway through my first marathon.” I’m researching routes to get around the course without driving. This is for my family, of course, I kinda have to stay on the actual course for some strange reason. Which is silly because I found a route from the Start Line to the Finish Line that is only 3.2 miles! That’s waaaay shorter than 26.2 - why are we taking the long way again?
Every time someone talks to me, my mind immediately processes how what they are saying affects my marathon. You need some breakfast? Really? Well - what should I eat for breakfast on Saturday? You can’t find your shorts? Well - you better find them before Saturday because I’ll be too busy to look for them.
Of course, I’m also wondering how anybody else can think about anything besides my marathon. Things pop up at work that need my attention and I keep wondering why the emails requesting my help don’t say something like, “Oh - and good luck on Saturday!” How is it that other people are able to think about things other than my marathon because I CAN NOT. MrZ has this golf tournament on Friday and he thinks we should take separate cars so he can come to Nashville afterwards. I was all, “NO! We have to ride together!” and I was thinking the entire time, “How can anything else matter but what I want, dammit. I’m running a damn MARATHON ON SATURDAY!”
Self-absorbed much?
But seriously. I’m examining maps and guidelines and pointers and tips. I’m obsessing over the weather (70% chance of storms: THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE.) and what I’ll carry on the course (cell phone? In case I get lost? camera? In case I want to document my pain?) and I’ve printed up the results from last year to try to see how many people will finish behind me this year. (One person. And she’s 82.) It’s a disease and the only cure is to run the damn marathon on Saturday.
So - if I see you anytime between now and Saturday? I apologize if I seem either (a) distracted or (b) insane. Hopefully I’ll be back to normal by this time next week.
Hey Good luck on Saturday! I never understood running. The only reason I would run was if someone was chasing me or my arse was on fire but I know you will do AWESOME!!
Even though I am a rare commentor, I just wanted to leave you a big ol’ GOOD LUCK!!! As a newish runner myself I am in awe of those of you who are at the marathon level. What a great accomplishment and you should be SOOOO proud of yourself no matter how you finish!
My stepson is running the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this Sunday. He is only doing the half marathon.
They start at 6:30am! We are getting a hotel room close by and will watch him start and then go back to the hotel for a couple more hours of sleep and then watch him finish. Slackers. That’s what we are.
Good luck on saturday!!!
I saw that you wrote on Linda’s blog that you run pretty slow. How slow is slow? My doc seemed to think that I was Grade-A-Retarded for running a 12 minute mile, is that normal?!?!
Hi Zoot,
I am not a frequent commenter either, but I wanted to wish you luck. I ran the Chicago Marathon last October (my first - and possibly only marathon) and I remember feeling the exact same way before the race. Eating, sleeping, breathing - it was all how it revolved around that 26.2 miles.
I’m sure you will do great - and if you have any questions - email me! Good luck - and as my cross country coach always said in high school - Run Fast!
I’m kind of a lurker, but I want to wish you the best of luck on Saturday!!! It’s funny how you can get so invested and excited about something someone you haven’t even met is doing. I love reading your site and is it kind of weird to say that I am proud of you? Just know that no matter where you finish, doing it at all is something that at least 95% of the population (myself included) could not or would not even attempt. So good luck- I’ll be thinking of you and can’t wait to hear how it all turns out.
Long time reader, first time commenter ….
Good luck on Saturday and I wouldn’t be able to think of anything else either. I did my first sprint triathalon last summer and kept thinking to myself before hand, why am I torturing myself like this??? Then afterwards I just thought “I Rock!” It was worth it. Can’t wait to hear all about it.
I don’t think you need to take anything with you, except your ipod or whatever and maybe tampons. Everything else should be provided.
If you put your name on your shirt, people will yell out encouragement to you by name.
Good luck and have a great time!
Infrequent lurker here. Walked my first marathon last year at the age of 48 (I have no interest in running, but a lot of respect for those who can RUN a full 26.2 miles). I can sort of relate to the “Marathon brain” concept, but in my case it was more a feeling of being twitchy or jittery during the taper “Gee, I have all this time now that I’m not working out so much.” Not that I put those extra hours I would have been spending on a long walk to productive use gardening or ironing or cleaning or mending. I’m not sure what I did with the “extra” time besides look forward to the event, and feel like I should be exercising.
While I saw lots of people wearing headphones at the marathon (and at other shorter events I did prior to that as part of my training), most events frown on their use because they want you to be able to hear instructions, bands playing (if there are any), the cheering, etc. I’ve never heard of anyone being kicked out for using them, but you might want to see if the race has any policy wrt their use.
My goal is to walk two marathons this year. I have my eye on one in June (the one I did last year), and one in October. If I do the one in June (not registered yet), I’m behind on training–I could probably still do it, but keep thinking
whoops! got interrupted and didn’t finish my last sentence!
I keep thinking about the stuff I think I should be doing (those mending piles, ironing–a task which I actually enjoy, but just get behind on when it isn’t urgent, gardening, filing, painting the bathroom, etc), and wondering if I should just bag plans to do the June one (maybe just do the half, which I could probably do without additional training, since I already walk on a daily basis) and do other stuff this spring. But having told people I’ve set a goal to walk two marathons this year, I’d feel like a failure if I didn’t, you know?