RAR!!!! It's carb-load time!

3 days before the race means time to load up on the carbs. Oh yes, Dr. "low carb" Atkins completely disapproves (although I think his patients will all die of organ failure from carb deprivation). Right now I am shoveling in a huge bowl of spaghetti while typing so I don't waste any time - NOT! Really all you have to do is eat a higher percentage of carbs at lunch and dinner than you normally should. I bet most Americans carb-load daily :)
Sounds like fun, right? Well, it is until you start feeling like your the Stay Puff marshmallow man or the Michelin tire guy ( I wonder if they are cousins or long lost brothers). Between the lack of calorie burning from taper and the carb load, you are estimated to gain 1-3 lbs before the marathon. Goo!
I can't wait for Chicago - I'm actually really excited about it. I think it is because I didn't stress myself out over times (since my body didn't want to either) for months. I just relaxed and put the miles in that I needed. As long as the temperatures quit climbing (pray for a crazy cold front) I think it will be a good race.
To run a marathon safely, you need to have built a running base for at least a year. Then you train for 4 months. You must stay healthy and race day conditions need to be good. There are so many factors that go into a marathon that you don't have to think about for a race such as a 5K or 10K. You can do anything for a short distance, but when you are running for hours the smallest things add up. You can run while it rains, but after a while you get soaked socks which leads to blisters and broken skin. Running attire makes more of a difference when you have to worry about hours of rubbing and chaffing. The wrong shoes could make you loose your toenails. Eating the wrong stuff leading to the race could get you extended time in the porta potty. These are things people don't think about. But, since we have had some experience, we don't really worry about it. We've got our tricks and now it is all about fun and competition. Chicago, here we come :)