Wednesday, April 16, 2008

STRESSED OUT

Ten days!
Ten days!
Ten daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays!

We had a group meeting last night which, oddly enough, did not settle nerves and only stressed me out more. The highlights were when we were told to plan to get to Centennial Park an hour before the gun (aka 6 am, even though I won't start running until 7:45ish) and - my favorite part - that headphones, including those attached to iPods, are NOT ALLOWED. While this has always been a rule, it is just now being enforced, largely because what happened in Chicago. Whether it will be enforced at this race is anyone's guess, but we are being encouraged to leave them at home.

Really?

Let me remind you of the last time I tried to run long distance without my iPod. We certainly don't want a repeat of that. Music has become a mental stimulation. I can't run without it. Or, maybe I can, but I don't want to try. "Just enjoy the bands along the course," they said. Yeah, okay. Unless the bands along the course include Timbaland or the entire cast of Hairspray, I'm going to need to to take my iPod with me, even if it means I am "at risk" of being DQed.

But the good news is that some little fires are being put out. I freaked when I found out that the Gel won't be handed out until almost mile 8, because I am used to taking it around mile 5 or 6. But then a few friends decided to watch the race at the 5.5/6ish mile marker, which means they will be able to hand me some Accel Gel to take. So not only will I get a boost from smiling faces, I can throw back my Gel and I'll be good to go.

One big fire that has yet to be put out? I am about to wet my pants to see a weather forecast for that day. Weather.com's 10-day preview will start including 4/26 tomorrow, but they are predicting rain on Friday (60%), so start praying and stay tuned.

And yes, I am aware that I am thinking about this way too much. I'm just wired that way. Type A. OCD. Logistics-focused. Detail-oriented. Anal-retentive. Call it what you want.

5 comments:

  1. I read the link about the Chicago Marathon. Sad, crazy, but why does that mean no headphones?

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  2. Yes it's sad someone died, but the big problem was that race organizers were not able to communicate effectively with the runners when the race was coming apart because of lack of water, high temperatures, etc. They ended up canceling it before some people even finished and were trying to shout information at people as they ran by, but the headphones on prohibited that so it was chaos.

    Or so I hear.

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  3. Or so you don't hear... you evil headphone wearer!

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  4. They don't allow headphones on the walk I'm doing, either. I was so worried that I actually considered not signing up in the first place - I mean, 10 or 12 hours of walking with no music?! But hopefully the adrenaline and general hoop-la of the day will keep you engaged and not focused on the physical parts of the race as much.

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  5. Miss HC Queen: I have a solution to the headphone issue. Yes it is a safety thing. I am like you in that it is not nearly as fun an experience (or should that be eggs-perience?) with out tunage. But some moronic marathoners allege that important instructions mightn't be heard by some whose volumes were such they couldn't hear above the noise. I am ever defiant tho. I will don my phones (after the start of course in case the headphone nazis are lurking close by) and if they ask me to remove them, then I will. My running trunks do have pockets. So there is the solution, pockets and staying in the middle of the road where the headphone nazis can't see you. Best wishes in the race -- rain or shine. WDE. Larry Anderson

    ReplyDelete

Oh goody!

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