Oh, Wise Atlanta Running Community, I Beseech You
I bit the bullet. I have wanted to do a half marathon for a year or more, but things (work, family, kids, LIFE) kept getting in the way. I finally realized that if I didn’t just do it now, I would never do it.
I am doing it. i am running over thirteen miles. On Thanksgiving morning.
When i voiced my trepidation over Friday night drinks, my dear friend, fanatical and fast runner Nat, at The Negative Split, informed me that I should concentrate on the fact that i will be able to eat a whole turkey by myself at Thanksgiving dinner. Which I have to say does not sound half bad. Natalie, ever clothing-obsessed, also informed me that I will receive a medal, and that I am to not take it off on Thanksgiving Day, which should prove to give me some interesting family pictures. My children will show their grandchildren pictures of me wearing a medal at Thanksgiving dinner and the grandchildren will wonder when great-grandma went crazy. Obviously, the tipping point between passably sane and crazy was when I clicked the button to sign up to run thirteen miles. On Thanksgiving.
Perhaps you can tell I am nervous. There are hills. There is a wind tunnel effect downtown. A friend ran one year and people had frost on their clothing from the cold. What if it rains? What if I can’t empty my bowels before I start. What if I just have one of those terrible running days where I’m just not feeling it. What if I can’t sleep the night before? What if I oversleep?
Most importantly, how will I get through the night before Thanksgiving with my parents and without downing at least a whole bottle of red wine? This is unchartered territory. The possibilities for pain and disaster are endless. . . .
So, I beseech you, Metroblogging Atlanta readers who are just crazy enough to have run thirteen miles on Thanksgiving: I need your sage advice. I need your deepest Thanksgiving Half-Marathon secrets. I need your “how I made it” and “here’s what you need to do.”
In return, I think you will be getting a pretty giddy race report on Thanksgiving* Friday night.
all i can say is this annie – until you have run the distance in a race you are going to be nervous. it’s just how it works.
all you have to do is get to the start linel. if you have followed the training and you can get to the start line none of your "what ifs" will matter.
here is one good tip – when i ran the vegas marathon, i drove thc course and then that morning as i lay in bed before the race i visualized it in my head, and in particular i visualized the last mile.
good luck…if i can get myself out of bed i will come cheer for you :-)
If you’re just wanting to finish, have some wine. It won’t kill you, just don’t overdo it. But it’s important to get something on your stomach before running.
Hopefully, if you’ve trained, you know what works for you. Eat that and don’t experiment on race day. I made the mistake one race of veering from my tried and true bagel and peanut butter and going for oatmeal instead. First nine miles were great, then terrible cramps.
I also like to take a Clif Bar or something for mid-race.
Above all, have fun. That’s what it should be about and the cheering throngs really help in that endeavor.
James, thanks for the tip about viewing the course. Of course, I have lived here long enough that I can visualize the course without driving it, but I did it anyway, and that was kind of nice. Also helps that half portion of it is the Ptree course, so I already know I can run that part.
The only BAD part was when i started in Chamblee, i could see the buildings in midtown and that was pretty daunting to see how far away they looked.
To be honest it is the early morning waking, eating, not forgetting anything that stresses me out the most. Plan to lay it all out tonight, but still.
Vbowker – Might have a glass of wine. Will do fine with the food and use the same stuff. Trying not to change anything up at all. I really do think once I am on teh course, i will be fine.
And yes, who doesn’t like being cheered for? :-)
Thanks for commenting!