I can't believe training is coming to an end and the marathon is 7 days away!  I haven't blogged nearly enough but it doesn't mean the work didn't get done.  So much has happened to get me to this point again.  I honestly don't know where to begin other than to say, I feel ready.  

Today was the last long run of the training season.  Its "cold" here in TX so it was a wonderful run.  If you have followed my progress at all over the last 2 years, I am a cold weather runner.  I run in the heat only out of necessity but much prefer colder temps!  

I have to tell you the best thing I did this time around was hire a coach!  His training schedule has kept me injury free (mostly, but more on that in a minute), challenged and motivated but the most important thing for me was knowing I was being held accountable.  It was easy to skip a workout in the past when I used a plan that I found online.  Who would know I didn't do it or didn't push my limits and just took it easy.  

As I got into the tough weeks, I just kept checking off the workouts.  Some were better than others but I was hitting them!  My first 20 miler came and when I finished, I felt great; tired but great.  The only bad part of that run was knowing the next day that our running group would be minus a one of our most important members. A stress fracture was going to put him out for 6 weeks and wouldn't be going to Houston with us.  He will be cheering from home and I have strict orders not to come back without a BQ.

I think I may have started having sympathy pains shortly after this incident.  I started feeling some pain in my ankle during my runs and started to panic a little.  So much so that I asked the group to do 5 mile loops on my next 20 miler.  Which they graciously did and I made it through just fine.  Slower than the first one but it got done and that was another first for me.  I have never completed two 20 mile runs in a training season.  Kudos to my coach once again.  

So today, after weeks of early morning track workouts, threshold runs and runs just to put some time on my feet, l've completed that last long run healthy and feeling good.  I will pray that the Lord guide me through and when I am tired, remember that all my strength is in his hands.

I am truly blessed to be given the ability to attempt to reach my goal once again and even more so to be surrounded by a community of running friends that will run at crazy early hours of the morning just to keep me company.  I love each and everyone of you.

Until next Sunday.......

Wish me luck!