The Marathon is Coming! The Marathon is Coming!

Less than two days before the big event!!  Who's excited?  Are you excited?  I'm excited!

RainWatch 2011.  We're now up to a 70% chance of rain for Sunday.  Oh wait, it's dropped to 60% since this morning!  And only a 50% chance of rain by the afternoon.  Since I will still be out on the course by the afternoon.  Sounds like it will mainly rain in the morning.  Just enough to soak us all by the start, I'm sure.

With that in mind, I stopped by the running store at lunch to try to pick up a small stick of BodyGlide.  Which they don't carry, only the size I already have.  Guess I'll be packing that along with me!  I did pick up some blister sticker thingies, "for the prevention and treatment of blisters."  I haven't opened the package yet so I don't know if I'll use them preemptively or not -- Don't want to put on something untested on marathon that might actually cause blisters.  But if I knock on wood do develop them during the race, it will be nice to have them available. 

I think I've figured out how to get to the race.  I live in the perfect spot to zip downtown -- except for downtown races when they block off the streets between here and there.  Looks like I should (a) be early enough that I'll be through there before they block the streets and (b) be able to go around the block if I need to.  Then I just need to find parking in relation to the start.  Parking is free on Sundays until 1:00 p.m.  At which time I will still be out on the course.

At least 1:00 p.m. is better than the post-race party.  Know what time that starts?  11:30.  Guess where I will be at that time?  Somewhere around mile 18.  These people, they make-a me laugh.

I am too broke to do a pre-race dinner but it looks like I will be at the expo on Saturday around 11:30 and thereafter.  If anyone wants to meet up then, email me at cilleygirl (at) comcast (dot) net and we can arrange to text.  Or you can always tweet me at cilleygirlpdx.  I usually see tweets in a somewhat timely fashion.

If you want to follow my progress, my bib number is 3608.  The Portland Marathon site has a live tracking link.   And did you hear?   The Occupy Portland protestors have camped out in the parks where the race starts and ends.  Political machinations are working overtime in Portland to solve the problems arising from that.  One of the activists said that the protest is way more important than the marathon.  Not to the marathoners it's not.  The day after, sure.  But not on Sunday.

So, goals.  The A-plus-deluxe goal is to finish at 5:59:59.  I'm....optimistic.  That was what I hoped for when I signed up to run Vancouver in June.  The B goal, at least for me, is to beat my Eugene finishing time of 6:26.  Barring blisters and heat stroke, I can do that.  The C goal is to finish in under seven hours.  Barring decapitation and/or amputation, no problem!  There is also something called "swinging the gate" that happens at 1:30 p.m. where they foist you onto an alternate route.  I'd like to avoid that. 

Let's call this the D goal...

All in all, to quote Julie today, we're going to do our best.  Otherwise, popcorn.

Still with me?  Good for you!

I never obsess -- unlike some flies I know *snerk* -- about my outfit for a race.  If I were photogenic in the slighest, maybe I'd care.  But I don't.  Temperature regulation and prevention of pain, that's what I'm all about.  I'm tempted to wear long sleeves because it will be in the 50s on Sunday but I always end up regretting that.  So I'm sticking with my Eugene Women's Half marathon short sleeve and adding my wrist gaiters.  We are supposed to have some wind on Sunday and I'm thinking in particular about the bridges and running next to the river.  I hate having frozen hands during a race.  My regular capris, shoes and socks and smelly hat will round it out. 

And really, what more do you need?

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl