The End is Nigh

Last year, Ryan and Meb jetted into town for Houston Marathon weekend. This year Ryan and Meb will be around, but with no Olympic Trials at stake, they’ll simply be signing autographs and speaking at the Expo.

But enough about Ryan and Meb, some of us will actually be running the Houston Marathon on Sunday.

This will be my 8th and final Houston Marathon. And when I say final Houston Marathon, I mean final marathon. Houston was my first and it will by my 27th and last foray into 26.2 miles.

There will be plenty of time for “why” in a future post, for now I am focusing on Sunday.

And what a day Sunday is looking to be. If I told you the forecasted temperature was 57 degrees at the start and 52 degrees when I plan on finishing, most of you would say “sweet!” Unfortunately the forecast also calls for high, increasing humidity, some very big wind, and a 50% chance of rain.

Of course, this only being Friday, the weather may end up being hotter, colder, better or worse depending on the whim of the Weather Gods.

Regardless of what the weather decides to do, my approach is relatively simple; take a nice, easy tour of my fair city and enjoy the day.

Bang!

I understand that if other folks realized they were running their last marathon (not last race mind you) they would want to go out with a bang.

Sadly, my knee is still wonky from the End of the World Marathon three weeks ago, thus no bang. I am just hoping it will hold up. Regardless, I wasn’t really planning on “banging” this one out anyway. I’ll merely take my time and git her done.

Attack

My plan of attack (or should I say retreat?) is straight-forward. Start at the back; take it easy for the first five miles or so (because I will have no choice); then get into my comfort zone and enjoy.

I will have the world’s greatest race crew supporting me (that would be Lady J), so if the weather is inclement, I can have the necessary wardrobe changes ready (specifically socks and shoes, but maybe a shirt too).

I’ve got the heavy-duty knee brace set out for this marathon. I haven’t had to wear this one for some time, but unfortunately it’s back in the rotation. I also have a hat set out, which I don’t wear too often, but if rain is a possibility, I want to be prepared. Along with back-up socks and shoes, I also have a back-up hat and knee support as well.

Like many other races, I will be carrying my own fluids. I have found I do much better if I hydrate on my terms (usually every mile) versus the race’s terms. The Simple Hydration Water Bottle has become an awesome tool for this. Because it slides right into my race band, I don’t need to worry about a race belt or switching hands every other mile. And of course, when Lady J is your race crew, switching out bottles is a breeze!

Move Forward

Preparations have been made, the plan is in affect, and my attitude is positive and upbeat. All that remains is a trip to the Expo and to stand in a porta-potty line prior to race start.

Weekend

People of the Lounge, the weekend approaches. While there are things you may not be able to control, how you choose to respond will dictate the outcome, be it good or bad. For shizzle, have a good weekend!