By Jennifer Savage
The hay is in the barn.
Or at least that’s what our coach says.
We’ve trained since March, we’re four days away from running a marathon and we’re ready. The hay is in the barn, he says.
Our neighbor in Arlee, a life-long ranch woman, told me once when I offered to help her with the lunch she was preparing for 30 or so people, “Oh, honey, I ‘bout got it licked!”
This is one of those things I love about Montana. The sayings.
People keep asking me if I’m ready, nervous, excited. And the answer is yes. At any point during the day I’m one of those things or all of them at once.
In the days before I had Lucille I found it hard to write about her impending birth and I’m finding it hard now to write about how I’m feeling about this marathon.
If I were to write I’d tell you that I am nervous because I know marathons are painful. I’m a little scared that I’m ten years away from having run my last marathon and I know some things have changed. I’d tell you that I can’t drive over the Higgins Bridge where the finish line will be without getting a little weepy. I’d tell you that I’m taking my hat around to have friends sign it, just like a yearbook. I’d tell you that I’m going to write Eliza’s name on one arm, Lucille’s on the other and Seth’s across my heart. I’m also going to write Pre on the inside of my hand. I’d tell you that I just might watch some old footage of Pre before the race. I’d tell you that I’m interested to see what these years have taught me, interested to know what it will feel like, with birthing now a part of my story, when I think I can’t run one more step but do. I’m interested in what my reaction will be when it’s all over.
I’d tell you I feel as though there’s nothing left to say, nothing left to do but line up and run.
Nothing but eat, of course. As you may know marathon training involves three weeks at the end called tapering. Tapering is a bit maddening because you cut back on running just when your body is in peak condition. You want to run. But you can’t or you risk not being able to run the race you want to on marathon day. So you are left with a few options. You eat, you fret, you load your iPod.
My eating habits this week have resembled that of the Very Hungary Caterpillar. You know the children’s book? On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake and one slice of watermelon.
I think I have that little caterpillar beat. On Tuesday I ate two eggs, four slices of bacon, a protein smoothie, a turkey-cheese-tomato sandwich with chips, a protein bar, yogurt, a heap of pasta with meat sauce, one piece of cake and ice cream. Combine this with what feels like gallons of water and Gatorade and this is what this week has been about. And just like that little caterpillar, I’m still hungry. My body needs calories. And I’m trying to help satiate it one plateful at a time.
In between eating like a sixteen-year-old boy and fretting about every little thing from will I wear a long-sleeved shirt or not the morning of the race, the other thing I seem to have time for is searching iTunes for music. Michael Franti, that beautiful six-foot-six dreadlocked man, is the clear front runner on my iTouch, uNOtouch. But I might need more than Michael to get me across the finish line. I’m entertaining the thought of buying some new music for those last grueling miles. Eminem is a possibility. Nelly too. Maybe a little Gwen Stefani. This is stuff Seth would rather die than listen to but, you know, Nelly has a beat.
If I were going to write about the marathon, these are the things I would tell you. I would tell you I’m eating, I’m dinking around with my iPod, taking the kids to the swimming pool and thinking about the marathon course. I would tell you I am nervous and excited but, above all, ready.
I would tell you I know the hay is in the barn and come mid-morning on Sunday, I’ll think about Carol Sue, our rancher neighbor when I ‘bout have it licked.
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Jennifer Savage is a writer and mama of Eliza and Lucille. Lately, she's learning to be a city girl. She writes from her home in Missoula, Montana. She is also one of Mamalode's favorite writers and you can fall in love with her too at Jennifer-Savage.com Read more of Jennifer's mamalode articles here.
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savage, I am so proud of you. so proud.
Know how you feel…I’ve almost finished my playlist need about 1/2 hour more music. I’ll email you a copy. Probably nothing you would really want to listen to, but most of it has a speedy beat.
Savage – you’re amazing! I can’t wait to see you on the course. We’ll have a sprinkler in the road when you run past the house on 4th, just a few miles from the finish. Run, Savage, run!
The Eliza across one arm Lucille across another and Seth across my heart made me all teary eyed. Still does. Go Savage GO!
The line that Marcy quoted made me teary eyed too! You’re an awesome runner and writer. Yeah for you!
Just reading your post makes me want to run it again:) I LOVE the anticipation and excitement….and the excuse to load up on food like a “sixteen year old boy”…so true:)
Best of luck to you! You are going to rock it, I’m sure. Congratulations…and well done mama! That is an amazing accomplishment!!!
Just reading your post makes me want to run it again! i love the anticipation, the excitement, and the “eating like a sixteen year old boy”….so true!
Congratulations on an amazing accomplishment! You will do great, and i hope that you enjoy every little step of the way!
Well done, mama!
i laughed at seth and your ipod… i bet we have a bunch of the same songs, and jake would rather die than listen to mine, too! good luck, lady, i’ll root for ya at the finish.
Good Luck on Sunday. I’ll be cheering for you and for all of the running mamas!
Jennifer,
I can see Seth, Eliza, and Lucille cheeering you on. How proud they must be! You’re family on the east coast are sending out positive vibes your way!
That line got me, too.
Congrats on the race- on the incredible accomplishment of training for a marathon while caring for two little ones, a house, husband, work etc. You need to send me an email and tell me how to carve out that training time because so far I am at a loss.
And you licked it sister! Ran with you at mile 23 and had a hard time keeping up! Is it weird to say I am proud? too motherly? This IS mamalode. I am proud of you!!!!!! x
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