I am afraid (basically almost certain) that Housemate's pace will be faster than mine and I'll slow her down or wipe myself out trying to keep up with her. Or have to walk alone, which I can do but won't be as much fun.
I am afraid of sunburn. I burn easily.
I am afraid of running out of water. It's dryer here than anywhere I've been -- I'm guzzling water and still have a dry mouth much of the time.
I'm afraid I've got my gear wrong. I know how to dress to walk the distance in 20-40 degree weather, but this one will start out at 35 or 40 degrees in the morning and heat up to the high seventies by about halfway through. Will my layers be right?
I think that's all I'm afraid of at the moment.
My injury paranoia has heightened in the past couple of days; I find myself saying "Don't screw this up" when doing basic things like clipping my toenails or stepping up a curb. I got out in the wilderness in my flip flops and was walking around and then noticed that all the vegetation was spiky and prickly, and a thorn scraped my ankle. Marathon threatening potential injuries -- scrapes, bruises, sprains, etc. -- are everywhere. It's a funny and unusual kind of vigilance.
Relax and remember to have fun! Good luck :)
Posted by: Scheherazade | January 11, 2004 at 05:03 AM
Yeah, marathon anxieties are pretty normal. I've done three (LA, Anchorage, San Diego) and each time there was some anxiety. I confess, I'm not a hard core participant so it isn't about the time on the clock but enjoying the TIME of celebrating life, the people and the place. Because I'm slower than most of the people I train with, I've had to be pretty comfortable with being on my own with my own thoughts. I also like talking to other participants. In many races people do the run with a charitable group like Leukemia Society. Each one usually has an amazing personal story to share or a story of someone they love. And so again, it is simply a celebration of life.
Enjoy and let us all know how it went!
Posted by: Rene | January 12, 2004 at 10:32 AM