Obsessive Runner Twas the night before the marathon

Twas the night before the marathon

October 27, 2012

Twas the night before the marathon and all through the house,

There was nobody running, not even a mouse.

My running shoes were laid out with my favourite gear,

In the hopes that race day would soon be here.

I knew I had to get to sleep soon, get myself into bed,

But I had visions of a finish line dancing in my head.

These past days had been hard, and they were really quite straining,

For me to be idle and taper and trust in my training.

I thought back to the months before and it brought me a smile,

To be proud of the mileage I built up, mile after mile.

There were tempos, and fartleks, and the weekly long run,

And meetups with friends, which made it more fun.

Today was the expo, to pick up my bib, shirt, and kit,

And to make sure that everything was just the right fit.

As always, it was fun, to browse the latest running fashion,

And to be surrounded by others who share the same passion.

I watched what I ate today, did some smart carbo-loading,

But no different menu items for me as I didn’t want bloating!

I was pumped, I was psyched, and I was all on the ready,

But told myself to stay calm, to be focused, to be steady.

I envisioned the start line and getting to the corrals,

Where I’d meet my race companions, my new running pals.

I had a goal in my mind and I knew my exact pace,

That I wanted to keep from the start of the race.

I had a gameplan in mind – the way I wanted to run,

And told myself not to change it – even if under the gun.

I strengthened myself knowing that the hardest part of all,

Would be near the end where I would need to run through the wall.

I dreamt of the ending, of making that final turn,

And get that sweet medal that I’ve worked so hard to earn.

I can’t wait til that moment that I’ll look forward with zeal,

When I get to celebrate with my post-running meal!

But it starts here right now, as I head off to rest,

You’ll want to rest up too, so that you can be at your best,

So I wish you all well and I say with all my might,

“Happy Marathon to all, and to all a good-night”