I've been putting off this post for a long time, hoping and praying that I wouldn't have to do it. Unfortunately, I keep glancing nervously at my calendar and the imminent count-down to 10-10-10 marches incessantly on. Five days to go until I have to attempt my first 26.2.
Now, at this point, I should be nervous in any case. I should be obsessively going over racing strategy. Putting together playlists perfectly catered to ever twist and turn in the Chicago Marathon course. I'd definitely throw some Rick Astley in for North Columbus Drive, and some Deadmau5 for the long straight down lakeshore.
Instead, I've spent the last three weeks trying to nurse a knee back to health after doing significant damage to it on a surprisingly brutal hike in the Marin Headlands - who knew that descending a 2.5 mile long 45 degree incline after an 8 mile hike would take a toll on the knees?
The view was definitely worth it though:
Nonetheless, here I sit with a significant obstacle in my path.
Luckily, I don't think my fitness is going to be a problem. So, I think the plan for now is going to be to suit up, head to Chicago, and try to do the race at an extremely slow, measured pace. I'll drop out at the first sign of the injury flaring up, but overall aim to finish in around 5 and a half hours - a far cry from the 4:20 I had originally been targeting.
And so now, in the week where I should be getting excited about the adventure ahead, instead I find myself skimming through race calendars trying to find a suitable replacement race. Jamaica in December anyone?
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