The Last Run

 

I don’t know how far I ran on this last training run for the Chevron Houston Marathon. Three miles, maybe. I didn’t wear my Garmin and I didn’t worry about pace or time or distance.

Instead I suited up in my obnoxious outfit for Sunday and laced up my shoes and headed out the door. Since I was in an inward sort of mood, I wended my way around my neighborhood, dodging raindrops and people out walking their dogs, instead of fighting traffic through the Galleria and going to Memorial Park.

It felt good, as all last runs should feel. If I had to guess, I ran three-ish and worked my way up to an 8:30ish minute per mile pace. I’m as ready as I’m going to be.

But back to the outfit. I’ve chosen a hot coral tank top, red running shorts and red-and-white striped sleeves that I made out of some knee socks that came in the goody bag for a 5k I ran a few years ago that benefited the Ronald McDonald House. I’ve never worn the socks because they’re, well, obnoxious. But when I was mulling over my need for long sleeves that I could possibly remove should I warm up enough and my need to be very very visible to my co-workers who will be working the race from the sidelines – you’ll see reporters and photographers all along the route –  I remembered these knee socks. I cut out finger and thumb holes and took them for a test run.

It looks like they’ll do the job just fine on Sunday. I may wear a garbage bag at the start as a windbreaker and to trap some body heat in the cool morning air.  I expect by the finish, I will have lost the garbage bag and the sleeves and will look more like a runner and less like a heap of Raggedy Ann dolls thrown in the garbage.

Another important point: I have decided to pace my husband for the first half of the marathon to keep him on pace. If I qualify for Boston, awesome, but I am not gunning for it.

Don’t forget, we’ll be carrying the first three hours of the marathon live Sunday morning – and we’ll have a marathon special airing at 10:35 Sunday night, anchored by Tom Koch. I”ll be stopping (gingerly) in the studio to talk about the race and we’ll be Skyping with runners from their homes. We’ll even Skype with my husband, who is running his first marathon.

And until then, it’s water, water, salt, carbs and more water.  See you at the finish!

Comments

[Krish]

As I was reading thru this, I remembered the TV coverage from January 2009 of ABC13. I have a suggestion to make to the camera crew and the anchor of the coverage, "Please catch the runners into the TV camera, not the anchor". I was very disappointed when the anchor was covering most view of the camera and not the runners. We can hear the anchor we don't have to see. So we can listen while trying to lookout for a person running (it could be a friend or a spouse or yourself) in the giant mirage of people running together. It is exciting if you can see that person on TV, running the marathon or the half or the 5K. Please make this coverage a real coverage of the runners and not a weather coverage.

Since you are part of the ABC13 crew, I hope you would take it to the right people.

[txrunnergirl]

Congrats on another great marathon! I wish I would have found this blog a little sooner though!

[Junie B]

actually the coverage for the marathon is less than stellar in my opinion. i am used to watching Boston, NY, Chicago, where the main focus is on following the elites. it would be nice to see them on the course etc instead of about 400m out from the finish line.

people watching (or dvring) it for the most part, thats what they care about, not if Biggio or Parker would ever do a marathon, or what Sports Beans are for.

There were times when i didnt think they were going to cut over to see the finishes of some broken course records!!!!!!!!!!

I DVR'd it anyway (even though I complain every year about the coverage :), as i was out there running it myself; so when i come home I want to see the elites. I see enough of the 'mortals' and the crowds along the way.

Show us a race, not a newscast.

Good job though for you and you totally would have been your husband! Saw you on the Finish Line (where maybe the human interest story should be; not so much as during live race coverage).

[Cyriel]

Can I ask you a few questions about your experience with training for a marathon? I hope so my e-mail address is rielie@live.nl.

Greetings
Cyriel

[Christian White]

Great job! I have a blog about my experience as well at...

http://www.examiner.com/x-18603-New-Orleans-Offbeat-Travel-Examiner~y2010m1d26-Chasing-the-American-FlagHouston-Marathon-2010