Here are a few pictures my sister sent me. We have some we still need to download from our camera. Click on each thumbnail image to enlarge. 

Before the race - 30 degrees!

With my sister before the race. She's been up since 3:30!Walking back to the hotel after the race. Ow...ow...ow

Updated on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:18 PM by Dena Harris

I feel bad for Blair. This week is a fun one for me, with congratulations and accolades flowing in for my Boston qualifying time (that's not the part I feel bad about - keep 'em coming). But few people realize the behind-the-scenes dedication of family and friends that make such a run possible. These people receive no kudos, even though they should. 

I'll start with my family.

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As tradition dictates, here it is. My Chicago Marathon 2009 recap. And ah-waaaaay we go!

PRE-RACE

To qualify for Boston, I had to run under a 3:45:59. I’d trained all summer on the Furman program for a 3:45 finishing time, but still wasn’t sure I could do it. I felt pretty confident I could hold the pace until mile 21 but didn’t know what awaited me after that. I told only a few people I was trying for Boston and told everyone else I just wanted to break 4 hours. I do better mentally if I know I’ve lowered people’s expectations and can surprise them with a big win…

RACE DAY

The first thing I did was slice the back of my right ankle open with a razor while shaving. Vanity, vanity…

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Just a quick post to say I'm in Chicago with family, having a great time, relaxing before the race. My 6-year-old nephew offered to have me move in with them on a permanent basis. I said he may want to check with his Dad about paying my living expenses but he seems to think this will be no obstacle, so that's good.

We've just plotted out the marathon course and where I'll meet everyone on the course. It's going to be a cold day, but I'll take that over humidity. Getting excited.

Thanks to EVERYONE for all the well wishes. I will carry them with me.

Next post: THE RESULTS.

11 days 22 hours 39 minutes 54 seconds...

I start most mornings by pulling up the official Chicago Marathon website and watching the online clock tick-tick-tick down the minutes and seconds until race day. It's almost surreal. My friend Neal, who is also running the marathon, has had the clock on his desktop since day 336. In a phone call to me the other day he said, "I'm FREAKING OUT watching this thing move closer to single digits."

I'm in my taper, which means cutting back on intensity and mileage. Some runners enjoy the taper and the break that come with it, but most dread it. I'm in the dread group. Even though logically we know that the taper is necessary for the body to recoup and repair and be ready for race day, what's going through our minds is, "I'm losing strength. I'm losing speed. It's been 3 weeks since I've done a long, hard run and my body has forgotten how. I'm not ready, I'm weak, I'm doomed..."

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