I’m just a little freaked out about the Blue Ridge Marathon being three – holy crap! – days away. I am feeling good. I think I’ve trained as best I can. I’m not quite as worried as I was a week ago about how warm it might be. I’m good with my decision to run this race. Yet, every time I mention I am doing so, I get two questions.”Are you crazy?” “Why?” Only one person locally – and he has run the race before – said it was a great race and I’d love it.

Let me be honest the elevation chart scares the crap out of me.

But I have never shied away from the challenge of a hill. Granted when I say hill, I actually mean hill – not mountains. Here are elevations from some other races I have done.

I have run most of these races multiple times. The elevation changes do not deter me but know they are tough races. The only one, other than this weekend’s marathon, that measures elevation change in thousands of feet is The Palm Springs Tram Run. I would do that again if I were out west at the right time.

I love a challenge. I am cautiously looking forward to this weekend’s marathon. Now off to pack.