Making Lemonade

The Rock & Roll Seattle Marathon is in 5 days. I will not be racing it. Instead I will be switching to the half marathon and running it for fun.

I am a little disappointed. I had such high hopes for this marathon. Sigh. But it wasn't meant to be I guess. My calf decided that for me. Sure, I could run the marathon and I’m pretty sure I would finish. Mostly sure. I mean, I've done 3 already and nothing could be as bad as the first when I was having cramps in both calves! But I think I will be smarter to not push my calf. Live to run another day. Because I’m not just in this for a race but for life!

So instead of being bitter and walking around like I'm sucking on a lemon, I've decided to make lemonade! Here’s what’s positive about this change:
*I'll get to spend as much time at the expo as I want.
*I'll get to sample any food/nutrition they have there.
*I don't have to worry so much about nutrition and carbo loading before it.
*I'll be good to go for some sightseeing on Saturday.
*I'll be much more open for adventure/hiking/cycling on Sunday.
*I'll be able to run right away so I can look for a trail to run on Monday and do some exploring.
*I'll still get a medal and a shirt.
*I'll be able to take pictures along the course since I'm not worried about time.
*If I find something cute to wear at the expo, like green compression socks or a sweet skirt, I can wear it for the half.
*Scott Jurek is going to be at the expo and I hope I get to meet him!
*My friend Toni won't have to wait so long for me if she can get off work to come watch the race.

So basically, I can break all the rules about pre-race rest & nutrition and race day nutrition and clothing. It’s kind of freeing. :) And I'll have more time for and be in a better place for checking out the Seattle area! I've never been there before so I can’t wait.

I would not have chosen this path. But since I had to take this detour, I'm going to enjoy all the sights and sounds that Seattle has to offer. The thing I love most about running is what an adventure it is. You can't do much better than that for a hobby that lets you explore your world in the best way possible…by foot.