Not What I Expected

I am still not feeling well.  My throat is improving but still sore -- though sipping bitter ginger tea the past 24 hours has definitely helped.  I'm fatigued and my neck is still tight despite Abby's magical hands.  I'm coughing junk up from my lungs. But, I was able to log a hassle-free-but-sweaty one-hour spin on my bike trainer this morning. No pain, no problems.

The LA Marathon is in three days.

At this point, I have no idea what to expect.

I thought I'd be better by now. I figured my health, nutrition, training, mental outlook and all the factors that go into effective race preparation would help me.  Instead, I'm exhausted.

Maybe I can get that magical good night's sleep tonight that will put me over the edge towards a final recovery.  After a yoga/stretching session that I'm about to begin shortly within the comfort of my bedroom, I will take a hot bath and immediately go to sleep.  With the help of some melatonin and possibly head cold medicine.  At least that's the plan.

I wish I had something more positive or upbeat to discuss. The truth is, I'm nervous.  Quiet.  Tired.  Pensive.  Shifty. This isn't how things are supposed to go days before my first marathon.

I'm still planning to run the race.  But now I'm also planning to bring my cell phone in case I can't continue on the route for some reason.  I hope to erase the need by Sunday.

Right now, I don't know what to expect.

I can only hope for the best.

250 days and counting.

PS: For those of you who are running the LA Marathon with me, I enjoyed this Los Angeles Times article about whether it's truly faster to drive the marathon route in rush-hour traffic or run it during the marathon.  It's funny and sad because it's true.  There are some good running tips embedded throughout the piece as well.  Enjoy!