Pre-marathon report

I will be running my first marathon in a week, I'm definitely getting excited. Coach Tracy had us all write out our race plans including what we'll eat before, during, and after the race, what we'll wear, when we'll get to the start, etc. She also asked us to email her 3 things that we saw on our 21 miler on the race course that we would look forward to seeing on race day. Of course I couldn't narrow it down to just 3, so I have 12.

1. Crossing Town Lake on the Congress bridge and seeing ALL those people running up Congress-so cool! Obviously I didn't see this on the 21 miler, but I remember how fun it is from my last 2 Austin Half Marathons.

2. Passing Home Slice and Guero's, last year Guero's had breakfast tacos going and it smelled great, again didn't go this way for the 21 miler.Guero's at night, obviously it will look a little different on marathon morning!

3. Crossing Town Lake on the First Street bridge. I just love to look at Town Lake.This was taken during the CapTex Tri

4. The adorable houses on Enfield and Exposition. I love this area, before my first Austin Half, Jeff and I drove the course and I thought this was one of the cutest neighborhoods I'd ever seen.
5. Shoal Creek Nursery on Hancock. I love plants and it's really pretty there.
6. From White Rock to Woodrow is my neighborhood, I run there a lot so it feels familiar.I hope Sandra and I feel as good on Foster at the marathon as we did at 3M! Photo by Tom Marek.

7. The Peter Pan house. It has a really pretty yard, lots of butterfly and hummingbird plants, a very cute and sweet golden retriever who is always on the porch and it says "Second on the right and straight on till morning" on the porch.

8. Sandra saw the "Chimps don't Eat Poo" sign on our 21 miler but I missed it. I ran part of that route for my 10 miler last weekend and saw the sign. It was a homemade looking sign that said "No EAT" and there was a picture of a dog pooping and what appeared to be a chimpanzee eating what I assume was poo-so weird!! I drove by today and the sign was gone! They're renovating the house where it was. When I told Sandra it was gone she said, "NOOOO!!" and then "I'm going to go through their dumpster and find it!" I SO wish I had gotten a picture of it!

9. The fun, cool houses on 46th and Ave. H. After living in Austin, I think I actually like this neighborhood (Hyde Park) better than the Enfield (Tarrytown) neighborhood, it's just got a funky, fun, Austin vibe and some of the houses really show that.Peace sign hanging in the trees on 46th Street

10. The beautiful old plantation looking house on 47th, I had never seen it before our 21 miler.
11. Running down San Jacinto on campus and seeing the Capitol! Less than 2 miles to go!
12. Finish Line!!!This is the finish from my first Austin Half Marathon, I really hope I feel as good and have as much fun at the marathon as I did that day!

When Jeff saw my list he said, "There are only 12! Don't you need 26? One for each mile? Wouldn't that be better, something to look for every mile" Maybe he has a point. But at this point, I'm not sure I can come up with 14 more things in all the right places before the marathon.