Exit expectations

10 or so hours from now, I'll be starting my fourth marathon - third this fall.

Except there's something different this time. I'm calm. I'm completely unconcerned about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

I have every reason to be concerned; I have a bruise on the top of my left foot, a pain in the top of my right foot that I've had since Sept. 16 (yes I will see a podiatrist soon), sore hamstrings from snowboarding yesterday, and a groggy kind of I-ate-too-much-during-holidays feeling.

But I'm not worried about any of that.

It's like the time I interviewed for my current job. I had a great job. I didn't care one way or the other if I were offered the job at Microsoft. So I was relaxed and calm and passed the full day of interviews with flying colors.

I don't expect that I'll pass tomorrow with flying colors. The weather isn't looking great and my body isn't in perfect shape for this.

But tomorrow isn't about me. It's about Aleks. And I think that by dropping my expectations, I can help her meet hers.

And that's what will be so incredibly satisfying about tomorrow.

Bring it on!