A first-time marathoner's stream of consciousness before the big race

• Slept pretty well. Fell asleep quickly, remember waking up once in the middle of the night but fell back asleep almost immediately. Went to bed around 8:30 PM, woke up with first alarm at 2:45 AM.

• Drank 22oz of water with half a nuun plus Mia (with no caffeine). Also had a small coffee with actual sugar (but powdered creamer).

• Felt mostly calm getting ready, did a good job laying out everything last night and upon waking felt I’d have too much time. I was out the door by 3:45 AM so timing was good for 4:00 AM bus.

Gear nicely laid out the night before the race

• Bus smells horrible. 

• Jackie said moving in sleet and snow is worse than marathon. Will need to let her know after.

• Didn’t start feeling nervous until walking out the door of my hotel room. I’m okay with a little bit of nerves. Need that adrenaline to run through my aches and pains.

• I still don’t feel prepared for this, but I have to keep reminding myself that this is the training run for my Goofy challenge (half on a Saturday, full on a Sunday). I’m okay walking or doing whatever I need to to cross the finish line by 1:00 PM.

• The “why did I think I could do this??” feeling I had before my first half hasn’t crept in. Honestly, I know I could have prepared a little better, but I’ve done 17 and felt good so who knows.

• Basically have a pharmacy in my flip belt.

• This bus ride is taking forever and is really emphasizing to me how long 26.2 miles is.

• My knee and foot are already acting up. I have a light knee brace on and my foot is taped. I’m carrying additional, heavier duty braces for each knee if I need them in race, but I’ll probably tape to avoid those as long as possible. 

• We’re here! 

This is a *mostly* unedited copy/paste from the notes section of my phone in advance of the Space Coast Marathon on December 1, 2019. My very first marathon!