I keep expecting these smaller runs to be faster, or less effort, or easier. I'm averaging 9:04's and feel pretty strong. But the further out I get from my last long run, the more I doubt I can actually finish a marathon in good time. I'm even wondering how I did so well at Moab Half Marthon. Did I reach peak condition a month ago? A marathon is always a huge undertaking each and everytime I do it. It's what makes it exciting. Only this time around I've really put myself to the test. I don't like pressure, but I really want to run this Marathon. It's been hard -- the winter training, the bronchitis, the stress, the unexplained exhaustion. I'm super excited about being with my FBR running buddies and my bestest East coast friends, brining my kids, being in Boson. But the more I read about the course, the wind, the extreme weather, the hills...the more emails (and they come daily) from the BAA association warning about cardiovascular emergencies and heatstroke on the course, the more freaked I get. The pressure is winding me up like a toy. I just hope that pressure will lead to a solid effort on race day--come what may. I've had a fun time reading the history of the marathon. I read a particular article about how bad atheletic shoes used to be at the turn of the century, and how bloody blistered feet could force a winning contender to drop out. I have good shoes, I have done the training. I have run in the snow, and in the rain, and in the wind. My son asked me yesterday on the drive home what I was thinking about. I had been imagining what I'd read about the course by 2 mile incriments and I was trying to remember which miles the writer had said 'this is the part you should be running the splits you'd planned on'. I said "I was thinking about the race course and hoping I can finish well." He looked at me from the reveiw mirror (as he does so often) and points with his chin down to my T-shirt which bore the slogan "JUST DO IT". Well ok then. | 