I am a little bit late updating on my weekly long run and I am pretty sure that anyone who reads my blog is probably getting tired of hearing me go on and on about my marathon training. Not to worry...only 32 days left and just think of how much fun it will be at the end to hear about how I did and see pictures of how I looked. Not to mention a very special surprise...I will be posting the songs that I listened to on my ipod that are sure to make everyone laugh hysterically.
The good news to report is that this past Sunday I hit yet another milestone. 7 miles was the longest I have ever run without stopping to walk. I completed it in about 1 hour and 20 minutes which is a little over a 10:00 pace...right on target. I started at 5:17 pm and ended around 6:30 pm. The weather was perfect and I felt awesome.
I felt excited because, for the first time, I feel confident that I am going to do this and complete this goal. 7 miles is over half way toward this goal so I feel that I can only improve from here and will be very ready on January 12.
I was telling some people over the weekend and yesterday what it was that has possessed me to try to run this type of length and I still find it difficult to put into words. It's a bug inside of me...some people call it spirit. I believe that there are things that we all do in our lives for no real reason but because their "gut" is telling them to do it. Something is guiding me toward this goal and it feels right to do. I have learned over the years to trust my intuition. It rarely fails me. So I don't question it...I just go with it and trust it.
My gut (intuition, Holy Spirit, etc) whispered to me to try this half marathon. Give it a shot. Just do it and afterward you will be greatly rewarded with a confidence that you haven't felt in a long, long time. Finish this race and greater things will come. Your kids will learn from your courage to commit and to attempt and to try hard even when you thought you weren't going to be able to do it. This is what the voices inside me say.
When I run I run alone. There are many reasons for this. I don't want to run with a group because I don't like to conform to the rules within the group (such as taking walking breaks, eating what they do, running on the days and times that they do). But there is a trade-off for this. That is, I run alone and on some days it is REALLY lonely. The silence (thank God for ipods) is deafening. It is just me and my thoughts. But that is sometimes a good thing because my thoughts are what are getting me through this. No one is there to push me...only I am there to push me and I think that is the best plan for me. This is what will get me to greatness...not the encouragement of others but the encouragement of myself.
I have asked my family to greet me in the middle of the race at the 8th mile. The reason for this is because I fear hitting a wall around this time. Seeing friendly faces might help me through this wall. Unfortunately because of the crowding at Disney they probably won't see me cross the finish line. But that is ok because I will see me cross the finish line and I can't wait for that. I can't wait to take off my timing chip and reach out for my medal. It will be so exciting.
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