It feels like I have been training for this race forever, and I really mean FOREVER. It's been a gradual buildup in miles and the longest training plan I have ever followed. I've usually stuck to 16 week plans for marathons and 9-10 week plans for halfs. But because of the intensity of running a half marathon and then getting up the next day and running a full, I found a plan and have pretty much stuck to it. This plan is 28 weeks (so it really has felt like forever). When I started the first few weeks of the plan it was early July, hot, humid and "long runs" were 3 miles long. Twenty-two weeks in and somehow I've managed to run a number of back to back short long runs followed by long long runs. Last weekend I managed a 10 miler before work on Friday and a 22 miler on Saturday. My first reaction was "Holy Crap! I'm really going to do this." I was exhausted, but shockingly two days later (today) I found the ambition to get out for a 4 mile run and felt pretty good. I know I still have a ways to go (7+ more miles), but I'm so close and I'm feeling okay. It really is shocking how the body learns to adapt to the abuse.
So here I am, knowing I only have one more back to back long run--almost 3 weeks away. Winter has left for the moment and even though I know it will return (probably tomorrow actually) I also know I can make this happen.
Six weeks left . . . what a journey this has been and I still have more to do. I'm ready. I can do this.
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