I forget when I first got it my head to run a marathon. Maybe it was from friends running it, maybe it was from the excitement of the day. I remember telling myself I’d do it by 35. That didn’t happen.

In May of 2018, I ran my first half marathon. It felt like such a great accomplishment that I decided that day that I should run a full one. I even wrote a post about it.

Since then I’ve run around 1,000 miles and 20 races, been through 5 pairs of Brooks running shoes, three pairs of headphones, and an iphone arm band.

So, how am I feeling?

Alright.

I feel strangely calm. I have no idea what to expect but I know I put the work in. I did the Hal Higdon intermediate 1 training program faithfully (except I rested on cross training days, I’m okay with that).

So, whatever happens tomorrow happens.

I’ve been told that I’m going to have so much fun. I’ve also been told that I’m going to get to the end and think, “I’m never doing that again.”

I have one concern and it’s my time. I’ve never considered myself a competitive person but it turns out I kind of am. I want to break four hours. At one point I thought that I could run around a 3:45. Then I ran an 18 and a 20 miler and recalibrated.

But how should I run it? One theory is to run a solid first half and bank some time. Or I could try to conserve energy in the first half and go for a negative split.

Or I could stop thinking and just go out there and run free and easy and have fun. I could just enjoy the beautiful day and the cheering New Yorkers and just relish the fact that I’m fortunate enough and able bodied enough and healthy enough to even attempt this.

Nah, fuck that, I want to run a sub four hour marathon . Here’s my plan: 10-10-10. I found it in some old New York Times article. Run the first 10 miles at a slower pace. Run the second 10 miles at your marathon pace. Then run the last 10k with whatever you have left. That’s what I’m going to do and my time will be what it will be.

How much pain will I be in? Both during and after? Will I be able to walk? Should I take the subway home? What am I going to eat after? (I’m thinking a pizza or some Thai noodles.)

This has been a box on my calendar outlined in red for 18 weeks. It’s been an idea for a year and a half. It’s been on my bucket list for almost a decade. Tomorrow I run a marathon.

(Number 13022, track me on the app!)