One more week…

Finally!  The Rite Aid Cleveland marathon is one week from today.  I think I am most excited about the fact that at this time next Sunday I will be done!  It has been a long journey to this point – training all winter, treadmills, a failed attempt at Shamrock, more training, going out at 5k pace for a half marathon, more training, rain, cold, wet, more rain, and now today, finally, a beautiful spring day.  My legs are still tight, I’m nervous, worried, continually checking the weather, my training log, my 2009 training log ( from when I broke 4 hours at this race) – comparing notes, comparing schedules, comparing weather!  Finally, finally, finally, next week I will be done.

I’m planning ( as of right now, wait a minute, I might change my mind!) on running with the 3:50 pace group.  The race route has changed since I ran it in 2009, now we start up a hill (!!!!) and hopefully that will tone down my penchant for starting too fast.  I WILL stay with the pace group this time ( this is my mantra for this week – last time I did not, and they passed me at the 21 mile mark).  I WILL run a smart race!

This past week I actually ran a little less than I planned to – 3 track meets to assistant coach at will do that to a person.  Our league championship meets are this Tuesday and Thursday, so those days will be my planned days off for this week, and I will do 5 easy the other days – although I might switch Tuesday for Saturday, so I can take the day before the marathon off. ( or not, maybe an easy 3 that morning to shake out the legs?  What would you do?)  I’m planning on meeting bloggy friends at the expo on Saturday, and maybe for dinner that night too. ( pasta anyone?)

Sooooo – can’t wait!  Next week I will post my race report!

Here is a video of the new course courtesy of the Plain Dealer – our newspaper: