I was so loaded down with gels, bloks, beans, electrolyte tabs, bandages, petroleum jelly, cell phone, bio-freeze, blister patches, Advil, fluids, and a good sense of humor to get my 78 runners across the finish line. I ran out with my front runners at the start of the event and led the last few across the line and they turned the time clock off after we crossed the timing mat. It was a long day but very rewarding to see my athletes reach their goal.
This year, I let someone else do the coaching but I am going to be out on the course helping everyone on the TNT TEAM who needs a boost. I have done some training runs with them and even ran 18 miles with them one Saturday. I have seen them through their 21 miler and I know that they are ready. I will be heading out with the front runners and then going back and forth along the course in two different places to help the half marathoners in our group and the full marathoners as they come by a few hours later. Again, it will be a long day and I am looking forward to it.
Last year my marathon was actually just shy of 29 miles long with all the back and forth stuff I did along the course. I hope I don't have a repeat of that kind of mileage because I have not been putting in those kinds of miles. The weather is forecast for the high 30's in the morning and warming up to 66 degrees. It sounds a lot like the weather I had for the San Antonio R n' R last November.
I will try to take lots of pictures, so check back early next week!
Later Gators,
Liz
7 comments:
Ha, you do like a TNT Sherpa! You even had a Ipod? Once a coach, always a coach. Okay, just run 28 miles this year, Ha...... Have fun.
Wow, that's a lot of miles. As one might say to a 29 mile marathon "You're doing it wrong!". ;)
All that stuff and 29 miles too! You rock and your team owes you big time.
OH my goodness, 29 miles, that is more than a marathon! make sure with all your helping (which is WAY nice of you) that you fuel yourself!!
Have fun Liz!
Holy marathon Sherpa.
Very good of you to help out.
Those pics make you look like a Marathon McGyver.
Awesome.
Oooooh! Good luck. Finishing with the very, very last runners must have been a truly intense experience! Seeing a lot of those TNT folks and back-of-the-pack runners at Disney last weekend literally brought tears to my eyes. I talk smack about TNTers on my blog, but I really think that what they're doing is really what it's all about. I did a triathlon with a friend whose 4-year-old had leukemia once, and she stopped to thank every single TEAM runner she saw on the course. After that day I could never see TNT runners the same again. I hope all your runners have a great day. I hope they realize what a difference they're making, and that the blisters and sore muscles are well worth it!
I hope you had fun out there and ran all those CRAZY miles to help your runners!!
Oh, and regarding your comment - I DID do some IM COZ recon! I'll post that maybe in a week or 2, but I'll let all you IM COZ folks know when I do. You always gotta be thinking about your blogger buddies, right?!?
;)
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