remaining hopeful

I have been looking at the weather a lot lately. Depending on which website one goes to, it varies. I found one that has an optimistic, if not downright great forecast for the 22nd. I am prepared for anything at this point - having run in every condition, but I would prefer a day like this (as I am sure everyone else would). And I know I may have said Mother Nature redeemed herself this past weekend, but I take it back. She will only be redeemed by giving us great weather for Chicago!

With that said, I still need to acquire a new long sleeve technical shirt for the marathon, just in case. In fact a new short sleeve one would be good too. Most of my shirts are about one size too large for me now, but I have run in them all year. There's nothing like marathon training to help you drop the weight and keep it off! I certainly want a chance to try the new shirt out regardless of whether it is the same shirt I already have or not...

Another wild week at work - hardly the "preferred" tapering environment for me. I haven't run since Sunday. Monday I overslept and woke up at the time I was supposed to be leaving the office to go to an early morning meeting. I have never used so much profanity that early in the morning. I really should have been a sailor. It all turned out okay - I was actually only 30 minutes late - no harm done I suppose. Last night I was at work until 11pm... no rest for the wicked... ugh. I did sleep in until 6:30 this morning, so that wasn't too bad. I slept better than I have in a long time too - exhaustion will do that to you. I am truly hoping to get some quality sleep in the remaining, *gulp*, 10 days?!?! Shit! 10 days?!?! No time to freak out yet.

An easy 3 mile run this evening to keep the ol' legs loose and then a 5 mile MP run for Thursday... then it is my last "long" run for the training - 8 miles at MP. I am feeling good and just anxious to run this thing. I am like a race horse in the starting corral ready to go! But rest is what my legs and my mind need most right now.

My wife and I are making this event a mini-vacation of sorts. We are leaving Friday to go up to northern Indiana to stay at a B&B and then take the train in on Saturday afternoon to check into our hotel and go to the Expo. That night we will meet up with my training partners from Indy to go to Harry Caray's for our carb load dinner. It will be a lot of fun... regardless of the weather.