And then after 4 months of training, I couldn't run the marathon

The Damn Left Foot. It was not to be. No cooperation; still not normal, so I knew there was no way a 26.2 miler was in my future.

I went to Prague anyway, and met up with RnD. (That's Ross and Dee.) Hopped the train.

Found out Friday that I am the "Hot Ginger" and Amber (Captain Carlson) is the "Hot Blonde." She thinks of herself as a redhead and I think of myself as a blonde, but I think the soldiers are more correct... Tee hee hee.

The arena/hall where we went to pick up my marathon packet. I figured I may as well get the t-shirt since I paid 75 Euros for registration. Does not look like any arena I know!

The arena inside, where the magic was... After I picked up my packet, I saw a sign that the marathon was sold out. The website stated registrations couldn't be transferred... but I asked and they said I could. So I just stood there a while. About 15 minutes... and then a group of four Irish guys came up looking for registration. They all said, let Davey have it! Day of entry registration was 100E but I sold it for 75E. I figure it was better karma to do it that way. He was delighted and kissed me on the cheek. After his friends called him a "dirty old man" he kissed Dee too. They said, "What about dad?" (Meaning Ross.) He didn't get a kiss. They were all sweet. It was a good experience, and boded well for the rest of the weekend.

Alleyway just by RnD's apartment. In old town.

The 5-level dance club that's been there for years. We went here in 2001! Crazy shit.

Praha's famous clock.

Here's where I would've started the marathon. I watched it instead. It was mass chaos as always, and then a gunshot, the release of blue and white balloons, and Bedrich Smetana's The Moldau filling the square. It was so perfect, I almost cried.

I don't know what this is.

Oldtown, and that's the clock on the left.

Oldtown at night.

That's the castle on the hill. I didn't get up there. Was too lazy, but will next time. I was there in 2001...

Charles Bridge early in the day. (Note the lack of hoards of tourists...)

Where I got my second coffee of the day.

Sculpture of keys.

Water station that I didn't have to get water at... I'll admit, watching the runners made rather happy that I hadn't had to drag myself through the entire 26.2 miles.

Adorable car.

Neato windshield wiper.

They have commie buildings here too!

Waiting to leave... I was soo tired. And sore feet, being relegated to my knee high boots, which are not so kind to the bottom of the feet.


Back at work today, soldiers galore. I expect much of the same the rest of this week...

If you have not heard the Moldau, I hope you listen to it now:
(I first heard it in a music class at the Univ of ND, and have never forgotten its beauty.)

Marathon-lasting exhaustion

I've been training for a marathon for several months, and now have had two horridly pathetic weeks of training and the third is off to a poor start, with lingering flu symptoms. I have to get this back in order or will risk limping through the 26.2 miles on May 9th. At 5:07PM tonight, I already felt ready for bed. Does it mean I'm a grandma? Do I need to get my pajamas on? Or is it just recovering from essentially 19 days of company, which I loved but was also difficult to keep up working full time and sight-seeing and visiting. I have hit the wall.

If I go to bed at 6:00, I'll surely wake up at midnight and beat myself up for crashing like an infant. So instead, I will prop myself against the couch and wait for the sun to dip in the sky. Perhaps I'll lay out my clothes for tomorrow so I can get up a little later.

I am soooooo tired!

Finished! :)

Despite sudden head cold/sinus infection and forecasts of horrible weather (which turned out to be false), I made it through. I enjoyed the first 21KMs, but shortly after the half-marathoners departed the course (like 90% of the people left, I swear!) my left knee started making little pains, which I worked through okay by stretching and walking through the drink stations. The last 6-8KM were quite horrible. I thought I was going to throw up or crap my pants, but luckily neither happened!

I'd chosen to run the Auckland marathon as a personal goal to achieve, but it also coincided with the day my dad died, twenty-five years ago. I knew that would give me a little more motivation to actually pull it off this time. This one's for you, dad, wherever you are...

Weather Forecast for tomorrow, egads!

6am 58°F Feels Like 55°F

9am 59°F Feels Like 57°F

12pm 61°F Feels Like 61°F

3pm 63°F Feels Like 63°F

6pm 63°F Feels Like 63°F

9pm 62°F Feels Like 62

Guess I'll be running in the rain... so will everyone else!

I ate bananas and soy chai tea today. Nothing too heavy or dairy. Of course I didn't wake up until 1:17PM, so didn't have a lot of sustenance required for the day's activities. I'm feeling nervous also and still sick. I plan to get through. That will be enough.

The next post will be from a marathoner! :) Cheers!

Help!

I'm fighting off a stuffy nose, head cold and sore throat just to make things more complicated for Sunday's jog around the city... which starts at 6:30AM. As if that were not early enough, I will be catching a ferry to the start line at about 4:30AM. I think I'm going to need more than caffeine to keep me going. Any advice?

Tomorrow I plan to lollygag around the city, drinking coffee and smoothies (no fiber or fat) and whatnot. Relaxing I hope.

I'm sort of itching to hop a plane to SE Asia. It's cheaper if I leave before December. I'm getting a little bit stir crazy and ready to drop everything and go. I have to be out of my place on the 20th anyway, so I'll be homeless wherever I may be.