Thank You Ben & Jerry

Today I did my last run before the marathon.  The next time I lace up my running shoes I'll be getting ready to run 26.2 miles!  Eeek!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited!!!!!

And can I tell you a secret?  I felt really strong on my run today.  The timing was still very average, but I found myself trying to hold a 9:20 pace during the flat portions of my not-so-flat route.  I still walked a lot of the hills and walked at other times for fear of rolling my ankle or obtaining some other injury I don't need days before the marathon.  But I felt really great when I was running.  Maybe there really is something to this tapering thing!  And maybe I'm on to something with all the Ben & Jerry's! ;)

Either way, I'm ready.  I know I am.  It's hard for me to admit this, because I have wanted to tell myself otherwise for quite some time.  I want to revert back to those thoughts that I'm not a runner and never could be.  But you know what?  I just completed 19 weeks of marathon training so I think I've earned the right to call myself a runner.  Still a slow runner, but a runner nonetheless.  And even though I didn't hit all my training runs, I'm ready.  I will cross that finish line, and that's all that matters.  I've completely let go of any time goals.  It's my first marathon and I simply want to finish.  I want to stop and take pictures with the characters without obsessing over the minutes it adds to my time.  I want to walk when I need to walk.  I want to enjoy the journey.  And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Miles: 3
Time: 33 minutes, 10 seconds

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 3