26.2 Miles left--Last post before the race!

Well folks,

This is it!  Down to the last few days before the Marathon this Sunday.

I wanted to thank everyone who has helped me to reach, and now surpass, my fundraising goal.  Together, we have raised more than $4000 for cancer research and treatment!!

A few thoughts to share, and some information. First, the info:

Whether or not you are able to cheer me on on the sidelines, you can track my progress on the course.  There are FREE tracking applications available for iphones and droids at these links:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ing-new-york-city-marathon/id468522480

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mapmyfitness.newyorkmarathon.paid

You can also record a video or text greeting for me that I can see during the race!!  And it's FREE!!!  Your recording will be synced to my tracking device and should play as I run by.  Check it out here:

http://www.supportyourmarathoner.com/

Click on "Friends" and enter my first and last name, country and state

Finally, if you think you can make it to the sidelines on raceday, please let me know.  With 45,000 runners, it may be easier for me to spot you than vice-versa.

Now the thoughts...

Feeling mostly confident about having trained adequately, I find myself wondering about a few other last-minute matters...

Chance of a Shower?
Picture it--45,000 people convened on a big plot of land for hours, literally, just waiting to be let loose.  What will we be doing to kill the time?  Eating?  Sure.  Drinking?  Yup.  Peeing?  Absolutely.

There will be port-o-pottys set up at Ford Wadsworth, our base camp, but loyal readers of the blog will remember my previous experience with a port-o-potty, and appreciate the reluctance of many to utilize them.  I've been told that some prefer to urinate off the Verrazano Bridge at the start of the race.   This is both 
a.) illegal and
b.) TOTALLY GROSS
In any event, this fact pertains to yours truly in that I am assigned to start the race running the lower level of the Bridge, while thousands of runners will be running, and, um, relieving themselves, directly above me.  It has been suggested to me that I invest in a poncho.

Carbo-Loading  
Most people have heard of this pre-race event; Large portions of pasta consumed in an attempt to fuel up for a big run.  As a novice runner, I learned from my sports nutritionist that this process should actually begin 5 or so days in advance.  So, as of Tuesday, my diet is as follows:

Breakfast:  Bagel

Snack:  Banana

Lunch:  Spaghetti, Marinara sauce, Low-fat cheese

Snack:  Granola Bar, Chocolate Milk

Dinner*:  Turkey Wrap w. lettuce, tomato, onion

*Lunch and dinner can be interchangeable

8-10 cups of water/day

As of Wednesday, I sorta feel like I'm going to barf.  I was alright through the lunchtime spaghetti, but when it came time for the granola bar, I had to force it down.  The chocolate milk didn't happen.  The turkey wrap, while tasty, feels like it may well sit in my belly until Friday.  And, btw, since my bladder is about the size of an acorn, all of this food was consumed in between trips to the toilet.  Before I became an athlete I dreamt of eating this way.  Now that I can get away with it, I can't really stomach it. Total bummer!


Watch Where You Step!
In a Murphy's Law-esque frame of mind, every step is fraught with potential injury. I have become acutely aware of every pothole, crack and otherwise uneven patch of sidewalk within a mile radius of my apartment, and this vigilance serves as my protection!  What I was not prepared for was Asher's overwhelmingly negative response to this morning's diaper change; the result of which was a swift kick to my left eye.  No worries;  Legs intact!

That's about it.  Friday I go to the Marathon Expo at the Javits Center. I'll pick up my race packet (the bib, t-shirt and souvenir goodies,) buy a bunch of way overpriced, cool runner-stuff, and then wake up at 3am on Sunday morning (if I sleep at all that night.)

What an unbelievable journey this has been; Thank you for sharing it with me.

See you at the finish line,

Dayna