We are in the purple corral which means we will start last. I have some awesome pants and shirt that used to belong to my nephew that I am going to wear right up to the start over my running clothes to stay warm. I'm glad that the race volunteers will collect all of the discarded clothes and donate them.
After some thought about the weather and some input from Coach Jodi I have decided on running capris and a tank with a long-sleeved shirt. Easy to take the shirt off and tie around my waist if I get warm, and to put it back on if I get cold. I'm going to wear my =PR= training shirt that I've worn for almost every long run this training cycle. Wearing it makes me feel confident.
I've got a couple of mantras in mind for the race. My first mantra is "trust your training". I've done the work. My program was solid, and I followed it closely. My coaches are awesome. I've run 10 miles or more twice. Both times at a pace that was fast enough to finish before the 2:20 course cutoff.
My second mantra is "run for Stu". Stuart lost his battle with ALS earlier this year. He bravely shared his journey with us. Bringing us insights into his experiences. Connecting with us. Showing us how to live in the moment, appreciate life. Stuart touched my life in ways that I was unable to express to him. Near the end I wanted to tell him I would run Cherry Blossom in his honor. But I was afraid to make that commitment, afraid that I wouldn't be able to keep it. I couldn't put it in writing. Stuart, I run for you. I honor you. I miss your presence in this world. Run for Stu.
I just popped over to wish you luck in tomorrow's Cherry Blossom Ten Miler, and then I recognize you from Erin's "Mom Spotlight" earlier this week. I love your first mantra "trust your training." It sounds like you have had good coaches and a good training plan, so now it's all about running your race with confidence.
ReplyDeleteYour second mantra, "run for Stu," slapped me in the face and it took a few minutes for me to composed myself to finish. I knew Stuart a long time ago. He was a member of a small gym in Reston that I worked at for almost ten years. He was a regular there and all the staff knew him. We have a Facebook alumni group and I will let the other members know of his passing. I will also "run for Stu" in my trail race tomorrow.
Thank you Deb for your good wishes! I really appreciate your coming over here to support me.
DeleteI'm sorry that you had to find out about Stuart in such a sudden and unexpected way. My husband Rick used to train Roz at Sport & Health which is how we were lucky enough to get to know them. Thank you for honoring him during your race tomorrow. That will give me extra strength to be running with you in solidarity. Have a great race!