This weekend I'm going to attempt to run a virtual marathon. Basically that means I'm going to go out and run 26.2 miles without the help of regular aid stations, police closing the roads, and the cheers of spectators that typically pack the Marine Corps Marathon course.

The 2019 MCM course, what I wish I were running.

I'm nervous, and a little stressed out about all the logistics involved in trying to figure out how to best recreate a race experience.

My biggest concern is the lack of aid stations. In a normal race, I rely on them really heavily -- especially for Gatorade. I normally run with a handheld water bottle and then grab Gatorade at the aid stations, until the water runs out and then I alternate what I grab.

That won't be an option this weekend, and since we're in the middle of a pandemic, the water fountains where I'll be running are turned off too.

So when planning out my course, I knew I was going to need to plan to run a bunch of loops past a fixed point where my husband is going to hang out with a cooler of Gatorade and water, and where some very dear friends are going to be as my morale support.

I'm also trying to eliminate my need to stop running at a whole bunch of intersections, and since I have some control over the course, I'm trying to keep the hills to a minimum.

So my plan is to head down the Mall nice and early on Saturday morning and do my race among the monuments. It's a nice added perk that a good chunk of the course I planned out would have been part of the actual MCM course.

The other thing I'm a little nervous about is Saturday's weather forecast. We've been having a hot and humid spell in DC this week, which normally I'd be loving. But it's not the weather I want to be running a marathon in. As I've been stalking the weather for Saturday, I'm most nervous about the humidity, since that's what completely ruined my 18- miler during training.

Technically, I could pick a different day to run the race to try to get better weather (the beauty of a virtual race I guess), but at this point, I'm just ready to do it. I've trained really hard all summer. I've tapered decently, and I don't think I could stand another day of anticipation. I've had too many sleepless nights this week worrying about if my plan is going to work. I just need to go out and run and see what happens.

No time goal for this "race." I just want to finish.