I can not believe that I completed the last long run of my marathon training for this session today. A whole whopping 22 miles. It was fairly decent going until around mile 18, then I let the mental game win. We had a good plan when the day started. We began at 5:30 despite the fact that the other groups weren't starting until 6:45...we had much further to go than anyone else. So we broke up our 22 miles into a 6 mile out and back, the 8 mile loop that all groups were doing, and an 8 mile kinda out and back and kinda loop. I felt great during the first 6 miles. We had some of our dear friends Jason, Lisa, Ronit, and Tom come out and join us bright and early to get their miles in as well. We made it back to Veteran's park just in time to say hello to the 26Dot2 Marathuners (our group) and head out for our 8 mile jaunt with everyone. The 8 miles didn't go too badly either. We maintained a decent pace for our first 14 miles and stayed in good spirits. When we went to head out for our last 8 mile loop/out-and-back I let the mental game get the best of me. I started to focus on how far I had left to go and could not snap my head out of it. We spent the first 2 miles of the last 8 trying to decide exactly which route would be the most tolerable and enjoyable, so it went fair. When mile 18 showed up, all I could focus on was the fact that I couldn't breathe, and my hip hurt. The last 4 miles were completed at a steady walk, but most importantly at the end of the day all 22 miles were completed.
I hope that 2 weeks from tomorrow, I will be able to update my blog to state that I am a marathon finisher. I am starting to get geared up for the trip and the whole adventure. I am also starting to feel the nerves already, gotta make sure to keep everything balanced and in check. I am fairly certain that TZ snapped some pretty good "thank goodness this is over" pictures, so if he posts them, I will swipe them and add 1 or 2 to the blog entry.
Wish me luck!! What a lifetime adventure story this will be forever and ever....
