The build up to the Shires Marathon race day continues. Only 3 days left for preparation. As walkers, we have secured an official 7 AM start time. Jen and I have also worked out being able to leave our own flavor of energy drinks with volunteers at a couple of waterstops. The temperature is expected to climb into the high 70s/low 80s. It'll be a warm finish.
        The tapering continues. I got in two very nice 3.1 mile walks this week so far. Staying loose is key. I just might get another session in on Friday. And there is the potential for one more on Saturday during the Girls on the Run 5K (see a prior blog post on that subject).
        And now I must back up! Last weekend I went to New Hampshire to help with set up and such for the first-ever Komen New Hampshire Race for the Cure  5K. The weather was amazing. The turnout over 1100 registrants. And the fund-raising impressive - over $217,000 (without the silent auction and raffle proceeds added in). All of the NH committee members and volunteers were top-notch!
        In fact all was going so smoothly that I had the opportunity to go out and actually be part of the race. There was a combined runner/walker start. Which is not as intimidating as is might sound. The runners were encouraged to be further up in the start area. Then fast walkers. And then the balance of the walkers. Now I had not really thought about this. The race started and I simply started walking my pace. Sure I was being passed by runners who somehow lined up behind me. But I soon could tell that there were only runners and run-walkers ahead of me. Except for one walking couple! Somewhere around mile 2.25 - 2.5 I noticed a woman and man, with consecutive bib numbers, walking at a pretty good clip. Ah, time for my Sea Biscuit mode. I decided I would catch up to them. I decided I needed to pass them. It was at this point in the race that there was an overlap of participants - some completing a section of the course for the first time and others completing it for a second time before going into the home stretch. The couple and myself were completing the section for the second time and we had to navigate the walker crowd coming through for the first time.
         I lost sight of the couple and decided to use the sidewalk to skirt the large crowd of walkers (who really should have stayed to the left allowing the second-time through folks to have the right side and the straight away). Suddenly
I could see the Race Clock at the finish. 39 minutes and counting. I was determined to beat 40 minutes. My foot hit the timing pad at 39:56. I milled about the post-finish area with a bottle of water in hand. I spotted the couple also post-finish. I went over and thanked them for pacing me. The wife smiled and acknowledged that I had "scooted" them by navigating the crowd a bit better than they had.
          When the overall results came out runners and walkers were in one list. I found my name and time. When the top-ten walker list came out later I was not on it. How had this happened? Well, it turned out that I was listed as a runner in the database given to the timing company. A quick e-mail to the timing company pointing out my timed walker status and, ta da, I became the first timed woman walker. No medal for the 5K. No announced name at an award ceremony (I was still thought of as a runner at that point). But for what may be the only time my name appears atop a Top-Ten finish list. That is good enough for me.
          Sunday's race will not be about a medal. It will not be about my name being announced. It will be about finishing a marathon! It will be about seeing it through.
         Bring on the sunshine, clouds, warm temps - whatever. I'm ready!