Pre-marathon thoughts

4 days to game day. Grandma’s marathon looms ahead. It’s like a big hairy giant that I’m not scared of as long as I can just push it back under the bed and forget about it. But, it’s growing and soon won’t fit under there anymore, so I better begin to accept its presence.

I think what I mean to express by that is partly apprehension for the race itself, and partly apprehension about talking about the race, b/c I don’t want to make it that much worse if something goes awry and I don’t finish! But really, back to the positive thinking. And I'm going to talk about it anyway because this blog is about my thoughts, and this marathon has been claiming a good portion of them, especially in the last couple of days!

I’ve been following Star Trib writer Chris Carr’s blog (http://www.startribune.com/blogs/marathon/) as he trains for Grandma’s, loving his insights, observations, and cries for help (reading his entry “The Big Daddy and The Wall” two days before my 20 miler was NOT helpful I have to say!). There have been many helpful tips there in the responses to his posts. And today, I was relieved to discover there are others out there as nervous as I am! Or even more nervous. I’m proud to say I was not the first person for this event to have prematurely made out a packing list, and “To Do” list for the days preceding the marathon, complete with “drive to Duluth, go to sleep, and put on clothes” As if you could forget those things! Of course, as soon as I saw the lists of others, I made my own. Don’t worry, I won’t let people get too far ahead of me (in the list-making process. In the marathon, there will be people WELL ahead of me!)

Anyway, I’ve decided to dedicate each mile after 13 to a person. If I’m running it for someone, I can’t stop, right? Depending on my ability/desire to talk to those around me, this may involve just keeping them in the back of my mind during that mile, praying for them, or trying desperately to think of funny stories about them to make me laugh. Healthy, sick, grieving, transitioning… no specific theme. I have most of the miles covered, but if you have someone you want me to dedicate a mile to, let me know.

A couple of other training observations:

I really thought for a while I could only run 10 miles. My revolution for running farther than I thought I could: run that distance, and then just don’t stop =). Deep, I know. Hope you can handle it.

Training w/o music (I didn’t want to become dependent on it) has been a lot of time spent with myself and God. One thing I’ve tried to do when I get sick of listening to myself think is to sing songs in my head and try to remember all the lyrics I can. Sometimes I get stuck on one song, and for really a good bit of training, the song that kept coming back no matter what I tried to switch to was “O Lord, You’re Beautiful”. Especially when I hit those bridges over the Mississippi… Franklin and Ford Parkway being both my favorites and most-traveled. I might be chewing on 100 different thoughts at any given time regarding God and faith, but isn’t it the simple things that are really important? Lord, You’re beautiful, and I want to praise You.

Well, this has been: nervous pre-marathon ramblings by Mikhal. Please stay tuned for the outcome. (Or in the case that it doesn’t go well, please forget I ever told you I was training!) Thank you, and goodbye.