My Game Plan Rock n Roll Mardi Gras Marathon

Happy 29th Birthday to me. In less then 12 hours I'm running in the Rock N' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon. This will be my seventh marathon. For this marathon:

• I'm not running with my iPod. I want to hear all sounds and music.
• I'm going to do my darnedest to do a negative split. Start slow then work my way up. I'm going to start some where between a 9:30 a minute per mile to 10:00 minute per mile pace and pick it up. I usually get carried away in the excitement and start too fast. 
• I'm going to stick with my 5 minute run to 1 minute walk interval. Nothing new race day.Well...
• I'm going to run with beads and a jester hat. For a while at least. If the beads don't bother me, as well as the hat, I run the entire way. 
• Cytomax, the official sport drink of the race, doesn't sit well in my stomach. All four of my fuelbelt bottles will be filled with Gatorade. I'm going to rely on water at the water stops when I need it. 
• I'll have my Gus ever 5 miles. Which pans out to every 45 to 50 minutes. 
• Most importantly keep a smile on my face all 26.2 miles. Remember that happiness is a choice. You can be happy or miserable either way the distance is the same. 

ROCK ON \m/

Review of the movie "Run Fat Boy Run". A must see for any marathoner.

When I was on the plane ride to Tucson I watched the movie Run Fat Boy Run on my iPod. The movie revolves around a over weight mall security guard named Dennis (played by Simon Pegg). Dennis left his baby's mama, Libby (played by Thandie Newton), at the alter by running away. Several years later, Libby is getting married to a well off marathon runner Whit (played by Simpons voice actor Hank Azaria). Dennis then decided to train for the local marathon to prove he is a grown up to Libby and his son. Only problem is the marathon is in two weeks.  (IMDB.com)

I liked this movie for all the little moments that reminded me of my training.

• There is this moment where Dennis has to go to Spin class for the first time. Whit  convinces Dennis its a "good work out". By the end of the class Dennis falls off his bike in exhaustion.
  
  It reminds me how I feel after a Tuesday  night Spin Class.
  
  
• Another moment I liked is the way Dennis gets a entry into the race. The only way for Dennis to get into the all ready full London marathon is to get sponsored by a charity. After failing to convince the racing committee he is running for a bogus condition his neighbor has, Dennis accidentally drops a wheel chair on a nearby runner. Then Dennis ends up taken the fallen runner's place for Erectile Dysfunction Awareness . Through out the race Dennis wears a bright blue shirt with a limp banana on the back. 
  
  I cringe because I run with the charity group, Team in Training. 
  
  
• Finally Dennis goes through all the pit falls of a runner doing a marathon for the first time without proper coaching or research. Dennis doesn't carbo load the night before the race, he wears cotton while training, and doesn't wear the right type of running shoes, and uses KY Jelly to reduce body friction.  
  
  I laugh because I did the same things when I was training for my first marathon. My first marathon was the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon in 2005. I had a salad and beer the night before, trained in cotton boxers (I know T.M.I.) under my running shorts, and discovered Body Glide the day before the race.

If your a marathoner or training for your first marathon watch this movie. You'll get a kick out of  Run Fat Boy Run.

For more on the movie Run Fat Boy Run go to IMDB.com and Flixster.com. 

Need a Little Inspiration? Listen to this...

Like many athletes I own a iPod or mp3 device and listen to it before I go running, biking, or swimming. While wacthing the olympics I heard that 8 time gold meadlist swimmer Michael Phelps listens to rap before he swims. I listen all sorts of things to get me going. Here is most popular songs that get me going...

• 3 Doors Down - The Champion in Me
• Lucas Grabeel - Go The Distance
• Joe Esposito - You're The Best
• Queen - We Will Rock You
• Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens - Top Gun Anthem
• Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone
• Lion - You've Got The Touch
• Fort Minor featuring Styles of Beyond - Remember the Name
• Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today
• Lady Antebellum - I Was Here
• Alan Silvestri - Forest Gump Suite
• Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)
• John Cafferty - Hearts on Fire
• Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle Without Honor or Humanity
• Survivor - Eye of the Tiger

If you notice there is a general theme here besides inspiration. Well, 75% of the music is from a movie. It's the kid in me, or the dork, that gets me out the door.

• Go The Distance from the Disney Movie Hercules
• You're The Best from the movie Karate Kid
• We Will Rock You from the movie D2: Mghty Ducks 2
• Top Gun Anthem from the movie Top Gun
• Danger Zone from the movie Top Gun
• You've Got The Touch from the animated Transformers: The Movie
• Forest Gump Suite from the movie Forest Gump
• Gonna Fly Now from the movie Rocky
• Hearts on Fire from the movie Rocky IV
• Battle Without Honor or Humanity from recent live action movie Transformers
• Eye of the Tiger from the movie Rocky III

You should give the my playlist a listen too or at least watch the movie they are from. You might get up from get on your shoes and run to the top of the stairs and have your "Rocky Moment".