In Answer to the Pre- Boston Marathon Questions

Only one more sleep until I get to head back east for the Boston Marathon. The race isn't until Monday, but flights were significantly cheaper if I left Thursday morning and who am I kidding, being there for Friday morning NP Hills is half the reason to run the Boston Marathon. Lots of really amazing and supportive people have been asking me how I am feeling and if I am ready. In short the answers are, really good, and fuck yeah! However, the taper is good for nothing if not some self-reflection, so here goes the obligatory, pre-goal race blog post to elaborate on those answers. How am I feeling?

Excited, strong, prepared, stoked all come to mind, and these feeling comprise about 85% of my total emotional state. I am also a little overly sensitive (paranoid is such a strong word) about getting sick and, after last year's complete body  breakdown, a little nervous about some injury flaring up during the race. When this feeling rears its head, I remind myself of all the major differences between last year and this year. I had a really solid training block this year and managed to fold in some great foundational strength training which has significantly improved my underlying strength imbalance  (to the point where I felt both glutes engage at the same time when doing a deadlift yesterday! and yes this is the most exciting thing that has happened to me all week). I've also managed to piece together a stellar collection of healthcare professionals who have kept me running comfortably and prevented any huge issues like say I dunno, my right hip rotating so far forward that all the connective tissue and muscles around it get really really pissed off (reminder, this is what happened during the race last year). So, despite the long term strength imbalance I am still working through, I am about 3000 times more healthy than I was last year, and this is a great feeling. Feeling physically prepared has resulted in a much more calm mental state for me this time around. I know I have done everything I can do (apart from all the glorious carbs I still need to eat between now and Monday) and I am at peace. I still have quite a bit of nervous energy, but it is all coming from a place of excitement. I can't freaking wait to get to Hopkinton and start this thing! I am also just really excited for the entire trip. My parents are coming up for a couple days, we are going to the Red Sox game and I have so many friends and team mates either running or cheering that I probably won't even get to see them all in the days leading up to the race. Also, there is a very long post-race drinking itinerary that I am almost more nervous about surviving than the race itself. It's going to be a great long weekend.

Am I ready?

Actually, I think Fuck Yeah says it all.

(and no the featured image has nothing to do with my post other than it sums up pretty well how I am feeling and what I am looking forward to about the coming weekend)