5:12:37

I can't thank everyone enough for their support!!!  Morgan, Christy, Sara, Spencer, Victoria...your packet of notes was amazing...if only I remembered to bring them to the race to re-read!!!

I finished, which was goal number one.  I also had a lot of fun (goal number two) until...HUGE cramps at mile 16, 17 and 19.  Never had them in two years of training...tried to run through, but I wanted to finish and not make them worse.  Hydrated and teamed up with a 12 minute run-walk pacer and finished the last 50 minutes with him (minus the last 400m when I took off as fast as I could).  :-). Finish time was 5:12:37, just over my third goal of under 5 hours, but I did walk quite a bit...so I think without cramps, it would have been a certainty.  Next time?

Many thanks also to all of my donors...the newest of which include Susan, Margi and Nicole!!!  Almost there!

Track me!  Marathon starts at 10am GMT (5am EST).

Bib # 49631

Just a few short jaunts this week - and the London Marathon on Sunday!!!

I'm still working this week and it's getting pretty warm, so treadmill it is.  They say to train for the conditions of your race, but I'd have to go quite a few states north to get to 50 degree weather.  Am I supposed to put ice packs in my shorts?

30 minutes on the treadmill on Monday - ran 3.24 miles (9:15 per mile).

30 minutes on the treadmill on Wednesday - ran 3.32 miles (9:02 per mile).

I was supposed to run 30 minutes on Thursday, but I worked until 2:15 and had to get to Orlando for my flight by 5pm and I still had some packing to do.  Oh well.

Now, I'm in London and sightseeing.  I think that's enough of a warm-up.  I may still jog a bit tomorrow, but I also don't want to get run over.  they drive on the other side here and crossing a street takes mental effort now.  ;-)

My workouts continue to taper before the race.  I tried to push myself on Monday, but as always, the first mile is a warm up for my legs and they never seem to want to go all out in the beginning.  I picked up the pace at the end and finished with a sub-10 pace, which isn't terrible.  I'm aiming for a 10:00 pace for the first half...I know I can't keep that up for 26 miles.  I'm shooting for 11:00 pace for the whole thing.  We will see.

I continued my Tuesday ritual - gym circuit - and am happy with my results.  I'm doing more of every exercise in each 30 second bout than the previous week.  I'm up to 13 pushups in 30 seconds.  I had a tempo run on Wednesday on the treadmill.  I ran two 10 minute runs at 8 mph or 7:30 pace.  Lots of sweat, but definitely gives me some ideas for summer workouts.

I had to dive again this week, so I considered 3+ hours of cleaning windows and the bottom of the hippo pool as enough to cover the prescribed workout.  And to round out the week, a nice, relaxing 6 mile jaunt past a pond with a six(?) foot alligator in it.

I'm happy he didn't come out of the water...and amazed that I noticed him only on my second lap.  :)

I'm feeling excited and anxious for the race.  I've prepared well, but it's been a long 4+ months of training and a lot has happened in my life.  I can't wait for London!