The night before

I will be up and getting ready for the marathon 12 hours from now. All day, I've ping-ponged between dread and exhilaration. It's so hard to believe that these months of training are coming to a close and the big event is tomorrow morning.

I so hope I can finish. I so hope it doesn't rain (which is looking more likely every all-too-frequent time I check the forecast). I so hope I don't have a repeat of that ugly queasy dizziness that I experienced on the 20 miler. I so hope I can feel proud of myself when it's over and know I did my best, and what was best for me.

Aside from the threatening weather, I have a couple other concerns: I'm fighting off a cold yet again; and good old Aunt Flo arrived this morning. Not the best timing. And sorry for the TMI.

I'm slowly making my way through my marathon to-do list, packing up my stuff and getting everything ready. When I go to bed in a few hours, I want to have everything laid out, so all I have to do is get up, eat, get dressed and try to relax until it's time to go.

Here's some happy news: sweet Sister A offered to run part of the course with me, so she's meeting me at mile 15. At mile 20, she'll switch off with my own non-runner running husband, who will trot alongside me as long as possible before the finish. I so hope I get there. How wonderful to know I'll have people I love with me for the hardest part of the run.

What a disjointed post this is, reflective of my anxious state of mind. The next time I write here, the marathon will be behind me -- finished or unfinished.