Sunday is the New Balance Falmouth Road Race and I’m gonna say it … I’m kind of nervous!
When I signed up for the race in the spring and got selected for the lottery, I was thrilled and thought this would be a piece of cake. I mean, I would have finished a half marathon by then, for goodness sake. 7 miles would be a breeze! But my long runs have only been so-so this summer, and I think I conveniently forgot the race is in August. With a 10am start time. Yikes.
I also know from talking to countless other people who have run this iconic race in the past that the course is crowded and narrow (which is what happens when you but 12,000+ runners on tiny Cape Cod streets), there isn’t much shade and there is a killer hill right at the end. But at the same time, you couldn’t ask for a more gorgeous course (hello, ocean and lighthouses!), the spectators are supposed to be fantastic and everyone says it’s one of their favorite races.
So that’s why I’m trying to put it all in perspective and look at it as more of an experience, rather than a competition … meaning I am just going to have fun and run without any time goals. For competitive people like me, that can be pretty hard, but I think it’s the most realistic approach.
It’s going to be an EARLY morning, even though the race doesn’t start until 10am, because traffic will be a nightmare. Our goal is to arrive at my friend’s beach house in Falmouth by 7:15am, which means leaving our house no later than 6am. A special shout-out to my family for getting up early and coming with me — especially since Dr. G. is driving 6+ hours tomorrow to meet his mom in New York to pick up Buddy from his weeklong adventures. Can’t wait to see my boy!
As far as gear goes, I’m toying between my new Athleta running skirt and my gray running shorts. Hmmm. But one thing I’m totally certain of is my playlist! It includes a lot of holdovers from my half marathon, plus a couple of new additions. (And again, I ask you, who is this Calvin Harris and why are all his songs perfect for running?). And for the record, I am now up to two Flo Rida and two Pitbull songs. Oh yeah.
Oh, and thank you, weather gods!
I’ll post a recap early next week … wish me luck!