Final pre-race post

So this is what the day before a marathon feels like? I can't get back to sleep, so I decided to get up and stop rolling in the bed. I'm not really nervous -- I'm just ready for it to be race day. It feels like the few theatrical productions I've been a part of -- I know my lines, but I just haven't performed in front of an audience yet. The cast: 5,000 other people, and we're probably all thinking the same thing this morning.

Anyway, I went to the race expo yesterday and quickly dashed away $100. I finally bought "The Stick." I've been wanting one for a while, but it's hard to track down in stores and it's generally more expensive online. When I got home I immediately rolled out all the knots in my body. I was surprised at how tight my legs actually were. I also bought a Christmas ornament with "26.2" written on it, and I finally bought a couple of racing stickers -- one with "13.1" and other other with "26.2" on it. I purchased a funny running shirt related to running with my dog, and I bought a yellow hat that reads "Running is cheaper than therapy." It'll match my yellow shirt well. I'm still trying to figure out if I actually like yellow ...

I must say I was a bit disappointed in the crammed feeling of the layout at the expo. If I wasn't quickly moving along, I was in somebody's way. I can only image what today or tomorrow morning will be like. If organizers want to continue to grow the numbers, they'll have to find a bigger place for the expo, or utilize the Omni's space better. Think about it -- 5,000 marathoners, 6,000 8k runners, 1,000 children running the kids race and dozens of expo workers/volunteers alongside hotel workers. Many of those people bring at least one other person, so you're talking about at least 25,000 people filtering through small spaces in a short time, except for there being no one at the Times-Dispatch booth. :-)

The weather is still looking nice and cool for tomorrow. I'll probably be starting with gloves I nearly wore out last year and likely tossing them to the side a few miles in. So there's another $20 or so I'll have to shell out again soon for running. The few miles I've ran this week have certainly helped me adjust to the drastic weather change and it'll make running this winter seem a little better than last year.

Before I leave, I just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone for their support since I started this blog in April. From the comments to the emails to those I know personally who talk to me about running, I greatly appreciate you being there for me. After tomorrow, I'm not sure what'll happen with my postings. With this post, I've started bolding key words. Not sure why... just trying something new. Who knows if it'll last. My subtitle will have to change and I'm sure for a few weeks I won't be 100 percent focused on running. I'm hoping for a few short races before March's half marathon, but I'll discuss all that later. If you feel compelled to say "good luck," I won't yell at you. I'll know that you really mean "have a great race."