Race Day (Part 1)

Well it's 0630 and I should be out pounding the pavement and dirt this morning doing the Shadow California Interational Marathon (CIM) here in Taji with 2 other guys but for now I am holed up in my room listening to the crack of thunder amid the flashes of lightening! Last night there was some lightening but no thunder more like the electrical storms back in Kansas so I figured that by 0 dark hundred this morning those would be well over, but at 0520 this morning just a few minutes before my alarm clock was set to awaken me there was a huge thud that shook the building and it was obvious that it was thunder and not an incoming round. The two females next door let out a nice scream of fright which I could hear from inside my hootch. I reset the alarm clock to 0600 and fell back to sleep hoping that in 40 minutes I would be good to go. That was not to be the case.

For it had rained last night and is doing so now and just to do the 40 yard walk to the latrine my Merrells are caked in what is known as Taji mud, even though I was walking on the sub base road and sidewalk. I am now enjoying a nice cup of coffee while waiting for the lightening to move onto the east and let me get out there and run. The wind has picked up and this is somewhat ironic that 6-7 years ago one at CIM I remember Mimi telling us that the morning she was to run the race it was raining sideways and there was a 25-30 miles an hour wind. Her ex-husband was to run with her and told her to go without him since there was no way in hell he was to do 26.2 miles in a downpour and windy day.

I still have my hopes that I will be able to do the 26.2 but more than likely will with a half marathon. On Tuesday while working out at the gym I got off the elliptical trainer to tell the attendant to turn on the ceiling fans and when I did I banged up my left knee against some gym equipment and have a nice bruise just above the knee cap which has been bothering me since. I have taken advil and been icing it but it is still bothering me and as much as I want to complete the marathon, I know from past experience better to go for less and run another day then to be sidelined for weeks with a more serious injury. I was to have run with two other guys, but last night MSG D called me at 2200 hrs and told me that he was heading home on emergency leave as his brother just died. MSG D has just come back from his 15 dayrs R&R and this was sudden. The other guy is injured so I guess it will be a solo run just like my Monday morning long runs. 0648 and now it is coming down in buckets and still lightening so the waiting game continues.

I am wondering if the guys in Baghdad have the same issue as we do here? Difference down there is that they are running on pavement and in an urban area versus me out here in what I call the Wild West! Last count they had 20+ runners and were being escorted by a HMMWV gun truck and had am ambulance to bring up the rear. They also had a four lap course laid out and most of the runners were doing the marathon relay but 5 were doing the marathon and I know that one was trying to qualify for Boston she's fast and should probably win the race down there.

Well I am heading over to shave, wash up and get my running gear on so when there is a break in the weather than I will be on my way.

(To Be Continued)