The Philly Marathon begins in less than 13 days and I’m in my final days of my double taper (if that’s that it’s called.) There’s a lot to in the final two weeks. I need to finalize plans for marathon weekend, make a checklist and pack my gear, playlist, and visualize the course.
My plans for the weekend are loosely laid out. I promised I’d volunteer at packet pickup Friday morning and I’m going to bed early on Saturday. I hope to explore Center City Saturday morning and afternoon. Immediately after the marathon, I’m taking a flight home to watch the Bears game. I can’t see myself watching the game around a pack of Eagles fans in Philly. Taking time out to explore, have fun, and enjoying life is important. This isn’t a business trip. It’s a trip to get away and do what enjoy. Beyond that, I’m not doing anything special. It’ll firm up as the week goes on.
Running shorts, moisture wicking shirt, soap, toothpaste, floss, and what else do I need? I slowly assemble a list of what I need and gather all the things I need. I need something sexy and suave for my evening excursion exploring Philly. I know I’m missing something. I don’t know what it is.
I’m going solo on this trip. There isn’t anyone to talk to or help motivate me between my flight on Thursday and the day of the marathon. I might meet a few people in Philly but that’s not guaranteed. I need a playlist to amp me up, inspire me, and keep me company. I need help putting together a playlist for the marathon. Any suggestions?
One of the most important thing to do is visualize the weekend and the race. I need to visualize who, what, where, when, and why. Marathons are mentally and physically brutal. Running is all about energy management: how we acquire it and when we use it. It’s mentally difficult for a slow runner because of the total time it gets us to to the finish line. The mind wanders. Negative thoughts could slip and slow us down more. The mood we wake up with can affect our performance. Running over 26 miles beats on the body. We strip the energy from our muscles. We push it to its limits. Without proper planning, runners might strip away the energy too soon. The body might give up to preserve itself or it could malfunction. Visualizing the race programs the plan into the mind and body for it to execute the plan on race day.
There’s a lot to do to make this marathon successful. The closer my trip gets, the more excited I become. I can’t wait to get to explore Philly.