The Day before the Marathon

Well marathon weekend arrived quicker than I even could panic.  All week long as our regular schedule kept us busy I had pieced my overnight bag together and then double checked it Friday night.  All the rain that had fallen cancelled Brendan’s early Saturday soccer game so I got a good solid sleep in.    My parents were nice enough to drive me to Atlantic City for the big event but not until we watched a few innings of the boys last baseball game.  I hated that I was missing their game so I was happy to be there for Michael’s homerun (he hit for Grandma’s birthday), and Brendan’s spectacular base hits!!

We left at around two and headed down to the Jersey shore. It was nice to be a passenger in the car, reading a magazine and catching up with my parents, hearing about the past two weeks they had spent with my brother and his family out west.   I was feeling pretty good, but was quickly realizing that a last little jog was most likely not going to happen by the time we got to the expo and the hotel.  Considering how tired I had felt on my last run I chalked it up to being fine and needing the last bit of rest for the Marathon.  This last week’s training seemed to fall apart.  Probably not the best taper but it is what happened so I can’t go back in time.

I knew we would arrive close to the last hour of the expo so I had my parents drop me off at Bally’s Casino while they checked into the hotel down the boardwalk bit.   The line was HUMONGOUS!  There were four races and a kid’s fun run checking in all at once.  I picked up my bib, water bottle a pretty cool long sleeved tech shirt.    I wandered around the expo for a while, thought I might find a cute shirt but nothing seemed worth the money.  I found my way out of the cavernous casino and out onto the street to meet my parents and get to the hotel. I changed quickly and we headed out to the Boardwalk and eventually to the Tropicana in search of a place to eat. 

Who knew people could still smoke inside the casinos in NJ?  I didn’t!  I guess I never thought about it because it has been so long.  I felt like vomiting the moment I walked in there. How did I hang out in smoke filled bars in my twenties?!?!?

Anyway we got a table at Carmines, a family style Italian place and ordered up some penne and chicken parm.  It was amazingly garlicky and the bread basket perfect.  I little walk on the breezy boardwalk and we headed back to the room to find a wedding in full swing right across from our room.  Ironically my mother had changed rooms to get a better view and the pool view was adjacent to both the bar and hotel reception room. 

Luckily it was only about ten and I tried to lay out my gear.  I had it all but it was pretty annoying to be in an unfamiliar place rummaging through three different bags. I was worried I’d miss something last minute.  Maybe the nerves were starting to set in a bit.  I really started to wonder if my fuel belt was going to be able to hold everything I needed it to. I had started to pin my fruit chews onto the belt because I needed room for a certain “girl thing” inside the pocket.  The stress of a possible potty visit was already lingering in my mind and now I needed to worry about other possible pit stops if you know what I mean.  Somehow I managed to get myself together and to bed.  I was only a few hours away now.  No turning back now.  Whatever happened happened.