Archive for November 22nd, 2008

I never write two blog posts in one day but I just had the most traumatic experience.

Before the trauma, lunch was so fun with 3 fabulous babes from the Women’s BQ thread.  It’s way cool to meet people you’ve been talking with online for months, especially when they’re as fab as you thought they’d be.

Funny smart women, unite!  Me, Nina, Judy and Kat

We ate in a little Greek spot at Reading Terminal and then went to the Expo with your usual run-of-the mill millions of runners (I could watch all day).  There was a shoe drop-off so I got rid of a couple pairs, the gals did marathon stuff and we walked around a little.  We met a couple people from the Master’s forum that Judy knew and we also got to meet a fellow forumite from Marathon Race Training, Esined, who was manning the NJ Marathon booth, so all in all, a very social and entertaining afternoon.  We split up among promises to meet at Rocky tomorrow.

Then I got in my car to go home.

Note: My car was on the top floor of a high-rise parking lot across from the Expo. When I got in it, it was 3:30 and daylight out.

Two hours later. TWO HOURS LATER I left the fucking parking lot. I’m not sure what the hell was going on in that evil place, but for two whole hours I was bumper-to-bumper in a long, spidery traffic jam with nowhere to go.  I’m telling you, it was Poseidon Adventure Towering Inferno, minus the ocean or fire. I wanted to call 911 a few times but then I remembered how stupid I thought Senator McCain’s brother was for calling 911 from a bridge to complain about the traffic, so I didn’t.  But OMG, I’m still freaked out.  Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Must…get…glass of wine now.

I’m sure the Philly marathoners are happy as hell the race wasn’t today.  It’s 30 degrees but the windchill is 19 and man, it’s a little breezy out there.  But I just had a great run in it!  9 miles w/10 strides.  If we go by windchill, it was my coldest run ever (by 1 degree, lol) but I got the gear, so I was comfy!

Technical running clothes are the bomb is all I have to say.  If I was out in normal clothing, I’d have been wearing a down coat, sweater, turtleneck, thick scarf, hat and gloves and probably still have been chilly.  Today I ran in my thicker tights, UA mock turtleneck and my Asics Storm Shelter Jacket, hat and gloves.  That was it!  Two thin layers between me and the elements and it was just right!

While I was out there, I had a “runners are crazy” sighting, not from the few runners in shorts (they’re just mildly crazy) but from the one guy with no shirt on!  He must have been about 50, carrying his shirt in his hand, sweating profusely…I thought he was going to have a heart attack.   That’s crazy.

I’m about to jump in the shower then head on down to Reading Terminal for a lunch date with 3 of my BQ forum babes who are in town for the marathon.  I can’t wait!  We’ve all really gotten to know each other over the months, so to get to meet up with them will be a trip.  So cool how running and forums can get you tons of new friends from all over the place.

Tomorrow, I’ll be meeting a few more before the race and then planting myself at strategic spots to cheer everyone on.  If you’re racing and I don’t see you at Rocky beforehand, I’ll be in the above mentioned normal clothing (black down coat, white/black knit hat, jeans) at mile 12, probably a little after the marker, from about 8:20 – 9:00, then I’ll make my way over to mile 15/24.75ish to hopefully meet up with ShoreTurtle for some more cheering.  I figure I’ll be there from 9:30 – 11ish, so I’ll probably only see my peeps at that spot as they’re on the way to the finish.

With at least 10 runners I know of to cheer for, I put everyone’s projected time that I knew into Excel and made a spreadsheet to keep track of who will likely be where, when.  Spectating is serious stuff!   I can’t wait!  Though I gave myself the day off running tomorrow.  I figure for all the time I’ll be freezing my ass off, I probably won’t want to be outside again once I get back home.

So if you’re running tomorrow and you see this post, tell me your goal time in a comment so I know when to look for you, or tell me at Rocky in the morning.  I think I got everyone that comments here through forum posts or your blogs, but for those that don’t have either (Lisa?), let me know.

Other than that…GOOD LUCK PHILLY RUNNERS!!!!!  I can tell already I’m going to be teary and totally vaclempt for you guys and gals.  Run like the wind!