I’m 12 hours away from the Pocono Marathon … i’ve picked up my race packet and am hanging out in Stroudsburg, about 4 minutes from the finish line … I’m about sick of carbs and water at this point, I can’t wait for the race to start. The weather is supposed to be decent, I plan to wear my hind shirt (full, not singlet) and hint shorts and start the race with an old throw-away shirt. The throw-away is actually the race shirt from the bear creek 5K that I did terrible on, I don’t want to remember that race, so I don’t mind tossing it.

The shirt that I got for the race is real nice, one that i’ll probably wear. We got lots of little goodies, but I couldn’t find a reliable local place that has pasta, so I settled for a turkey club with a salad … I should be careful of the fiber, but I think i’m okay.

I’m excited, but nervous, and I am tired, so I expect to sleep well (i hope). I have to be at the school by 6:30, and breakfast starts here at 6, so I have to get down and going immediately in the morning, I expect to get up at 5am to get started.

So this is where this chapter of the story ends, another chapter opens up on Monday as I prepare for some local races and some rest until starting up training again in the beginning of June. I think about the pain, struggle and attitude change I had in the last 6 weeks since the Ocean Drive marathon. I remembered that training for a marathon is not supposed to be easy, and is not to be taken lightly. If you’re not going to dedicate yourself to it, DON’T DO IT. I remember mile 13 at Ocean Drive when i wasn’t ready, it was hard, both physically and mentally to get through the other half of the race. I won’t have that problem tomorrow, i’m excited for mile 13, and am craving the run, whereas back then, I wasn’t. Its all about the way you train, tomorrow is the payoff.

So I won’t write again until the race is over, I hope to have a good time, again, not expecting to PR, but to do as good or better than Steamtown .. I have to make up for the disaster in cape may, and I know I will.

Good luck and God Bless to anyone else out there running Pocono tomorrow .. see you at 6:30am for the shuttle!