Weather for race day...

Sunday: Rain likely, mainly after 11am. Cloudy, with a high near 63. South southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Not bad not bad at all.  My first marathon was in a light rain and my first trail marathon was a dump-a-thon so I can deal with rain. Temps are cool..peeeerfecto! Winds are tailwind or crosswind until the last mile (but the last 3 miles are 2% downgrade!).

We should be mostly done by 11am.

The only downside to the rain is that I tend to spend less time taking pictures since I don't want to get the camera too wet...but hey.

My brother-in-law, Charlie, is finally approaching his first marathon and he's showing signs of newbie taper madness. He's also determined to go for as fast a time as he can, despite my fears, and so I have printed pace bands for 3:45, 3:50, and 3:55..and he can pick..it's his problem as of Sunday 7am!

Me, I'm thinkin' I'll shoot for a 4:15, I've done around that pace twice before and I think I'm in better shape right now..slightly..than then so that should be ok. My goal is EVEN splits, smooth fun race. If I feel really REALLY good after the half, I may try for SLIGHTLY negative splits.


Of course you never know how you'll feel out there...if I feel like crap in the first few miles I'll slow down a bit.


Some quotes to get us juiced:


Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist:
"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."
 (He must have run all of them all-out..it's not that bad)

Rob de Castella, winner 1983 World Marathon Championships:
"If you feel bad at 10 miles, you're in trouble. If you feel bad at 20 miles, you're normal. If you don't feel bad at 26 miles, you're abnormal."
 (that's fair)


Emil Zatopek, Czech runner; winner of four Olympic gold medals:
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
 (too true)


Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston and four NYC marathons:
"The marathon can humble you."
(you know it)


Hal Higdon, running writer and coach:
"The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."
(bingo)


Mike Fanelli, running club coach:
"I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart."
(will do!)




Wish us luck!


-paul