Final marathon preparations and answers to your annual questions!

Hi everyone,

Yikes -- it's 10:30pm, more than an hour later than I swore I'd be up, but here I am going through last minute checklists.

Timing chip tied to sneakers. Check.

Number pinned to my singlet. Check.

Gear for sun (suncreen), wind (sunglasses), cold (gloves) and rain (jacket). Check, check, check, check.

Assuming my alarm clock goes off without a hitch, I'll be out the door around 5:30pm. Tom will drop me off in Everett at a bus just for Somerville Road Runners, then off to Hopkinton where I'll join the rest of my Dana-Farber teammates at a special refuge inside (key word: inside!) a local church near the starting line.

So, my annual answers to all your spectating questions!

What I'll be wearing: at the start, likely a light blue running jacket; further along, you'll see this year's singlet (colorful as always, but this year's is mostly red) over a long-sleeve black shirt (I'm expecting cold rather than hot). Wellesley College hat (sorry, BC, but nothing beats the screams of Wellesley women when one of their own is passing by!). Black capri running pants. For those of you on Facebook, I've posted a picture of this year's shirt.

What is my number: 22192

When the race starts: there are two starts for runners. 10am for the speedsters, 10:30am for the rest of us. Nearly all of the DFMC runners are in the 22000s corral with a 10:30am start.

How will you find me out on the course: Tom and I came up with the following numbers last year, and it's directionally correct...if you add another half hour on top! Consider it the EARLIEST I'll be passing through your neighborhood.

Start: 10:30am

5 miles: 11:30am

10 miles: 12:30pm

15 miles: 1:30pm

20 miles: 2:30pm

25 miles: 3:30pm

finish: 3:45pmish

If you are planning to be out on the course, your best bet to seeing me is to let me know where you'll be standing -- it's easier for me to find a spectator than it is for you to find me!

How you can monitor my progress from afar: www.baa.org will have an electronic monitoring system up and running tomorrow morning. Enter my number and watch me truck along.

I can't believe she answers phone calls? Yes, I'm running with my cell phone! Feel free to text or email me ANYTIME on Monday at 617-699-6914. I won't return text messages, but I'll try to take/return calls (if I don't answer, it only means I don't happen to hear/feel my phone at the moment). Seriously, please call! It totally makes my day!

How the fundraising is going: Off to a bit of a slow start given how late my letter went out, but moving right along. Many, many thanks to those of you who have already contributed to my run. If you have not done so and would like to, please visit my website, http://www.racedirectors.com/H/marathon.html. I'll be accepting donations through the end of June and hope to reach $10,000. 100% of your contributions support vital innovative research at Dana-Farber that otherwise would not find funding -- this is the REAL reason why I run every year!

And finally, a big shout out to my two angels, Brittany and Amber. I spent this morning over breakfast with Brittany's sister, Brianne, and had a wonderful time talking about Brittany. She got me to the starting line back in 1998, and her memory spurs me on. Tom and I spent the afternoon with Amber and her family at the Dana-Farber pasta party. As always, she'll be waiting for me at Mile 25 to finish that final mile with me. These girls ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time for bed! See you at the finish line!

-H.