21 days and counting

Yesterday I finished my last 22 mile run before the marathon on April 21. For the next 3 weeks, I will reduce my mileage and training to make sure my body is healthy and strong for the big event. Just when I begin to really feel the wear and tear of 3+ months of training, both physically and emotionally, it is time to cut back and relax a little. Over the next 3 weeks, I will at first look forward to a lighter schedule, but as April 21 gets near, I will be anxious and WANT to run to calm this anxiety.

Anyway, the run yesterday went well. I feel strong and ready to run my 5th Boston Marathon. Amazing how much things have changed since November when we had our first Run for the Memory Team meeting and I had just completed my first 1/2 MILE run that morning (yes, 1/2 mile, as in 21.5 iles lass than I ran yesterday!), healing a stress fracture that happened in September. I was nervous for the first month that the injury was not fully healed. I went back to the doctor in mid-January and asked her to re-xray my foot, because I was nervous that the injury had come back. She assured me I was OK to go ahead in my training and she was right – many miles later, I am not constantly thinking about my foot. I ran a PR in the New Bedford 1/2 Marathon a few weeks ago, ran 3 strong 20+ mile runs and have felt good on more runs than not overall during my training. What a difference 4 months can make. Now I just need to make through the next 3 weeks…