3 Days to Go!

I find my aging frame all aquiver with anticipation for the big Tyler Half Marathon this Saturday. After 4+ months of building from a couch potato to 10 and 11 mile runs and 20+ mile weeks, I celebrate no more training. My goal is merely to finish the race at more than walking speed; probably somewhere between 10 and 10 1/2 minutes per mile (2:11:00 to 2:17:33), and to beat the last 200 entrants to the finish. This will be the farthest I have run at one time in over a decade, so speed is the least of my worries. Just surviving and enjoying the time is my focus.

I will be sad that the two women who encouraged me to do this in the first place, my daughter Jennifer and my niece Nadene, will not enjoy watching me plod the 13.1 miles as they speed away from me in quicker times. Each has suffered an injury (Jen with her torn knee cartilage) or severe illness (Nadene and her pneumonia) to unavoidably delay their running for weeks. However, they will enjoy the leisure of the 5K and my son Steven will putter along with me through the entire 13.1 miles, showing his extreme patience for my slumbering pace.

Today I did my last training run, a 5 mile "tempo" run @ a relaxed 10:03/mile pace, including 3.075 miles @ 9:33/mile. It was cold enough (50 degrees @ 6:30 a.m.) to wear long sleeves, but not so cold as to shiver. After the run, I had some slight soreness on the outside of my right knee (iliotibial band issues?) and the lower part of my right hamstring, but not enough to fret over for the 13.1 mile trek. Some rest and icing will put me in fine condition for Saturday.

With any luck, my next post will be celebrating the completion of the Tyler Half without walking, injury, or illness.