Planning for What Might Be a Bad Race...

I can't believe that this is what the countdown says on the website for the marathon... 

I also can't believe that this is the weather forecast for the weekend...after temperatures in the 40s and hail for Mother's Day weekend, this is what we get for the marathon!

I'm less worried because this is my first long race and I am not concerned about breaking any records or anything, but more about having a nice time and soaking in the experience. I also know that I handle heat pretty well (I've been known to happily trek out for up to four miles at 5 PM in 97 degree weather when there's heat warnings out--have I mentioned how much I like to sweat? Clearly I'm crazy or just plain stupid) especially if I just take it easy. 

This came in my email today. An exciting thing to finally see!!!

However, I'm more worried about the people who put in 4-5 months of training for this marathon, hoping to qualify for Boston, and now probably have to scrap those plans and be smart about this race so they don't get hurt. It makes me sad that all this work has to be altered just because the ONE day that the marathon takes place on happens to be less-than-desirable weather. I think it still pays off though. I think the race part is great, but it's really all of the training that the athletes have to be proud of. And everyone in the race is an athlete, no matter how fast or slow they may be. It takes a lot of work to be able to go out and deliver 26.2 or 13.1 miles. You're doing something that most people in the world cannot do. 

I also think that you're always a runner. No matter how much time you've had to take off, or how many years it's been since you last ran. Once you identify as a runner, especially (but not exclusively!) when you commit to those long miles and put yourself out there for better or for worse in all sorts of weather, you are a runner. While you can still be yourself without running, I think you are still considered a runner, and should consider yourself to be a runner. I know runners that have been given the prognosis that they cannot run anymore, for injury-related reasons or health reasons. I think that this can be very difficult for some to overcome because they identified with running for so many years; it was their "thing" and I think especially that it made them feel tough and strong and powerful and great about themselves. It can be debilitating when that's taken away. It's important to remember that the mental toughness and strength sticks, even if the running doesn't. I think that people who have to take breaks due to injury feel the same things on a smaller scale. Some people seem not to realize what they have until it's gone, or at least don't remind themselves enough. On the hardest runs, or the coldest, or the earliest, I have to remind myself how lucky I am to have this ability, this choice, this chance. I think that's an important thing to remember in the literal "heat" of the race this weekend.