Now that I am an experienced runner (or as I like to think of myself, an enthusastic jogger) I have learned several things. On Sunday, in my little running belt (it's a fanny pack but who wants to say that? Let's call it a running belt so I can feel cool) I will have some wonderful little items to help keep me going.
1) Gu. What is Gu you ask? It's this the gelatinized paste/syrup mixture that is supposed to be filled with a burst of vitamins and proteins to help keep your electrolytes and mineral count high. Though I am not it's biggest fan, it gets the job done. One thing I learned while running is you have to eat if you are going to be moving for more than an hour. I tried chewing carrots and apples to keep me going, but that's...super lame. The Gu goes down nice and smooth. Did I mention it comes in chocolate and mixed berry flavor? High performance power, now in Caffè and Banana Strawberry!
2) Glide. Do you know what chaffing is? It is the Devil and you must avoid it! How, you ask? With GLIDE! It looks and feels like you are putting deodorant all over your body, but it's a kind of vasaline-ish paste that helps prevent excess rubbing. Marathon running is basically doing the same three or four moves over and over again for hours at a time. After a while, even the friction caused by your arm rubbing against your T-shirt can give you a rug burn. Now, I know I have been someone who has talked a lot about their boobs in this blog (DEAL WITH IT!) but again, this is another example of how they make themselves a nuisance to me in every possible faction of my life. Sufficit to say, a tightly fit sports bra is not your friend. GLIDE EVERYWHERE! A big thank you to my mother who brought me a mini sized Glide for Women. How is this different than my gender-neutral large sized glide? For one thing, it's pink and petite, like all things feminine must be, thank you very much, which is why I am concerned that my sweaty, clumsy giant Scandinavian hands won't know what to do with this mini tube during the race. I'm sure in my cardio-induced trance I will mistake it for lip balm, or worse, the Gu and start eating it. I may be a lady, but I don't think anyone is going to use the words "pink" or "petite" to describe me. Let's just go with "flushed" and "sturdy" and, should I start applying it my face, "shiny".
3) Band-aids. Sometimes you run 15 miles and your feet are just sore. Sometimes you run 5 miles and all your toes simultaneously get rubbed the wrong way and fall off. Why? I don't know. I really haven't had a problem with shoe fit or, really, any kind of foot related problem during my training but I have friends who have lost toenails while running a marathon, so I'm just gonna take a few band-aids to be safe. I am the kind of person who doesn't notice pain until it gets REALLY bad, so there is a freak chance I could get to the finish line and realize that that pinch I had been feeling in my shoe for the last 3 hours was a scorpion eating my big toe. IT COULD HAPPEN!
4) Advil. At the end of the race, you better believe I am gonna eat me some pain killers. DRUGS ARE THE WAY KIDS. I have also been told to lie down and prop my feet up and let the blood drain back into the rest of my body after having been pummeled down into my lower extremities for the past 4 hours. So that will be me, the girl lying next to the Colosseum, legs propped up on a broken column, eating Advil like M&Ms. You know, like Usain Bolt does after every race. Duh.
5) My cell phone. I am only taking my phone so I can call my mother and let her know when I get near the finish line. I want a heroic photo of my epic finish! It won't be glamorous, but it will be proof that I did it. It will also be a reminder, months from now, when I am eating pizza at my desk while watching the Daily Show, that I have not run a single step since the end of the Marathon. And that will make me wonderfully happy.
And that's pretty much it. I "carbo-loaded" today, as they say, and I feel...starchy. I haven't eaten a lot of carbs in the last few weeks so this onslaught is, what's the word I'm looking for...bloating. I hope it translates into serious energy come Sunday.
Also WE HAVE RAISED $1227.83 FOR THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION! Vic.Tor.Y. Thank you THANK YOU everyone who has donated. And guess what, YOU CAN STILL DONATE HERE!
I have a problem with cats. SOMEONE HELP ME! Just joking. I'm awesome.I embrace my insanity, and so should you.
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