5 days and counting . . .

"So Matt, how is the training going?"  Common question now that most of my friends and family know that I am running the Half Marathon.

My typical response is, "Good, lost 25 pounds, running 25+ miles per week, feeling okay"

Then the next question comes, "You ready for Saturday?"  Saturday being this Saturday, Saturday, April 30th, only 5 days away.  This Saturday being the Nashville Half Marathon.  13.1 miles of pure torture and pain.

My typical response to this question is, "WHAT?!?!? It's this Saturday?!?!  How did that happen?!?!  I am totally not ready!"  Or something to that affect.

13.1 miles is a long ways.  To give me perspective, I did some quick math.  I drive (drive, not run) 6.7 miles to work, about half of what I'll run on Saturday.  When hearing this, a friend said to me, "Well, you should run to work in the morning and run home that night, that would be perfect training, why don't you do that?" 

And my calm response went something like this, "BECAUSE THAT IS OVER 13 MILES, WHO DOES THAT?!?!"  Well, this Saturday I am. 

In truth, the training has been good.  Other than a few small back problems, I have felt good and am looking forward to the event.  I have lost 25 pounds and can see the difference in the mirror.  Going to Nashville is always fun.  Nashville supports this race in an amazing way.  Over 35,000 participants and many more than 100,000 cheering you on, it is hard not to be motivated. 

Now I am in my taper down week.  All the Half Marathon traning sites say to dwindle your training time and mileage the week before the big run (how about dwindling down to NOTHING!).   Where I have been watching calories and saturated fats for the last 8 weeks, I can start to "carb. up", highlighted with a big pasta dinner the night before the race.  For one week I can say I need to exercise less and eat more . . . wouldn't that be an AWESOME New Year's Resolution?  Now the experts don't necessarily agree with this, but you can't do EVERYTHING the experts say, right?  Nonetheless, I am very excited about this event and plan on doing a couple more posts this week to give you final updates and preparations for the big race.

You know me, I'd be remiss if I didn't hit you up one last time, so, here we go, if you can find some pocket change to support me, please go to www.active.com/donate/pclrunforhope/mattryerson and give whatever you can afford.  It all goes to a great cause, the People for Care and Learning - the Run for Hope (which I'll need A LOT of to make it the full 13.1 miles).  They serve children and families all over the world with a focus in SE Asia.  Visit http://www.peopleforcare.org/ for more information.