At last...

...I wasn't last. Yesterday we had our last double-digit (10) run before our marathon and I wasn't the last one to make it back. Actually, I was 4th from last! My niece also reminded me just how good that really is since I am the "oldest" of the group. She's definitely related to me - she just says whatever she thinks.

I always spend some part of my long runs imagining the feeling of crossing the finish line. Sometimes I have to take my thoughts there when I'm tired and don't feel like going on. I can only imagine the adrenaline that must run through a person's body to accomplish such a feat. I'm scared and excited but with less than 2 weeks to go, I'm starting to feel more scared. I still have to figure out what my mantra is going to be when I hit the infamous wall - which I hear is around mile 21 for most people. I just pray it's not at like mile 11 for me. More than anything I'm just grateful. I'm grateful for the support people have given, grateful that physically and mentally I am able to do this, and grateful for what I have learned about myself.

The first time we had a 10 mile run was on October 13th = 2:23. December 29 = 1:54. I was determined to finish in under 2 hours on Saturday - Zach had a basketball tournament game at 9am which I wanted to try to make before it was over. When I told one of my coaches this, he told me I'd never finish 10 miles in under 2 hours. Never tell me never.

"Few of us know what we are capable of doing... we have never pushed ourselves hard enough to find out." Alfred A. Montapert