Where the f%#& is my hat… and other stories from race week

I couldn’t find my running hat this morning, so I tore around the house in a rage looking for it. Nora had been playing with it outside a couple of days ago, and I was sure it was lost, presumably dropped on the sidewalk somewhere. And that, of course, would be the end of the world.

You see, I’m running a marathon tomorrow, which makes everything a BIG HUGE deal. Even if it isn’t.

I started coming down with a cold on Wednesday. Taper colds are pretty common (something about your immune system being weakened by the sudden reduction in mileage), but to me it was an abject disaster. I had to be over this thing by Sunday. I downed Emergen-C and immune-boosting herbs* (which I had already been doing as part of my pre-race ritual), sucked on zinc lozenges, downed buckets of water and took naps whenever it was possible. I freaked out that the cold was turning into a sinus infection and went to the doctor yesterday, only to be told that I had probably just picked up a viral bug and that it would get worse before it got better. Ugh.

* Wishgarden Herbs makes a blend called Kick-Ass Immune. For reals.

But! It didn’t! I am feeling much, much better today, and (fingers mega-crossed) I will make it to the start line healthy(-ish). And even if I don’t, I will drag my weary, sniffling butt over the finish line if it is humanly possible. I have trained too hard to let this get me.

They call it “taper madness” for a reason. This is my second marathon, so I know the drill, but it still caught me by surprise how downright antsy I’m feeling this week. Having a toddler doesn’t make things any easier, since she doesn’t understand why I don’t want to play “ring around the rosie” with her a million times in a row and/or swing her around in the air. Mama’s back can’t go out right now!

Add to that the fact that she puked (which she never does) on the very same morning that I was freaking out about getting a cold. She’s totally fine — I think it was just a weird tickle in her throat or something — but I am ashamed of my reaction. My first instinct was not one of concern for my child. Oh no — I went into overdrive thinking about how I could manage to tend to a child with the pukies and not get sick myself with an already depressed immune system and a need to rest a lot to kick this cold. I am a baaaad mama. Or at least I am during taper week.

The final straw, though? Our internet went down yesterday. In my house, that means no TV (we get everything streaming and don’t have cable) as well as no access to my beloved internets except using my phone.* That also means very little distraction in the two days leading up to the marathon. Something in the universe is testing me, here!

* I’m currently sitting on a neighbor’s porch, stealing their wifi. I am a junkie.

I found my hat in the laundry bin with the other sports clothes. I had put it there after wearing it on Thursday, since I wanted it nice and clean for race day, and I knew I’d make a point to run a load of exercise clothes on Saturday so I could have everything all laid out the night before. Sorry, Nora — I shouldn’t have blamed you. The world isn’t ending after all.

In fact, I think it’ll all be okay. I’m feeling good today, and I’m more than ready to show up at the start line tomorrow. It certainly won’t be an easy race (marathons just aren’t), but I’m in the game and ready to roll.