Race day is 7 hours and counting.
My duffel race bag is packed with only THE most important ‘make it to the finish line’ items. After all, I have to carry this crayon red bag all 21.6 kms of the half marathon:
THE most necessary and important key-to-the-finish line items to pack:
*My Canon Rebel camera and wide angle lens. A true photojournalist does not merely capture the excitement of the shotgun start, or the pain, pride, and disbelief of the burst- through-the ribbon finale. No, fine readers, an image maker will don a numbered race bib, strap on the velcrose race timer/tracker to her ankle, fall out of bed at 3 a.m, inject a funnel of dark fine Colombian black coffee into her thick veins and head off to the designated marathon hotel, (The Mariott), for the 4:20 shuttle to the start of the race.
*Second only to my camera is a very fresh pack of Lifesaver Gummy Bears, in rich tasty flavours. One can not run on adrenalin alone!
*A handful of 222′s, my pain reliever of choice
*A second hand full of Aleve because they have anti-inflammatory powers
*Money- just in case my marathon buddy and I need to stop for either a frosty drink or worst case scenario – call a cab
*Hat; sunscreen; insect repellant- although at 5 a.m, I am confident that even the biters will still be asleep
*Paper towels: to wipe the race sweat off our brows
*A wing and a prayer- whose use I think is apparent
See you on the course!