13 Things

We have made it to the day before the race.  In celebration of making it through my first expo and training experience, I thought I would share 13 things I have learned.

1. If you don't love the scent of your deodorant, switch.  Especially if you use one of the "activated by activity" types.

2. If you have a pair of shoes you love, buy two.  They will wear out in your training and your emotions will vary from ecstatic that you wore through your shoes to sad that you cannot wear them for your race.

3. The support of family and friends will carry you farther than your legs. I have friends that ask "What is your distance this week?" or even "How is your running going?".  To everyone that has supported me, I will not let you down.

4. Your mind is a powerful tool. It can get you through each mile, do not let it trick you. Mile 10 is much closer to the finish line than the start.

5. For being such a solitary sport the legions of other runner whose faces light up when you ask them about their race shirt or smile and encourage when you tell them this is your first 1/2 marathon made me realize this is much more like a team sport.

6. Learn how to balance your nutrition in the best way for you.  There are plenty of websites stating study after study. Find what works for you.  I had one run that ended with me crashing on the bed an hour later and another where I did 12 miles and went to Disney afterwards.  The difference having this dialed in is incredible.

7. For a sport that supposedly only needs shoes, this can be quite pricey.  Race entry, cold weather gear, new shoes, special socks, belt to hold things, the list goes on and on.  Start with the shoes and add from there.  EDITED: Not to mention the replacement clothing for the jeans and things that no longer fit as your body changes.

8.  Your first step is the hardest. Tell everyone you can what your goal is, this will keep you accountable and maybe just maybe inspire someone else.

9. According to a study I read somewhere, Carb Loading should not just be a one meal thing but a multi day process with a taper.  Seriously, rest and eat carbs? This is this Italian girl's dream week.

10. You may feel stronger than you ever have.  This feeling of "I can conquer anything" is amazing. Once I hit twelve miles, my new goal is to run the Goofy Race and a Half challenge next January.

11. When I finish tomorrow, I will be on my way to fulfilling a goal I set in the days before my Daughter's birth.  We were walking around Disney the day after the Marathon.  I looked at my husband and told him I wanted one of those medals, tomorrow I will have one. I still want the Mickey medal most of all so when I run the January races that to me will be goal completed.

12. My cousin and I have our longest races to date this week.  She did an 8.3 miler in Honolulu last Monday.  I am so proud of her. She told me after one of my races that I inspired her, can I just say the inspiration goes both ways?

13. Nervous doesn't begin to cover my feelings today.