20 miles (check!) and the taper down has begun!!!

So you ask - how was running for just shy of 4 hours straight yesterday?

I still don't feel in my heart that I LOVE running, BUT I have definitely learned to respect it immensely... I have trained and almost conquered the beast, and I look forward to looking that 26.2 mile beast straight in the eye and smiling.... along side thousands of marathon supporters and all my friends and family that have literally taken me through every inch of every mile of this journey.

Yes indeed, I finished my longest run to date ... 20 miles ... 7 miles + the Staten Island half marathon. It was pretty interesting doing my longest/hardest run in the place I grew up... along streets I used to drive my red Chevy Cavalier and later my white Ford Tempo... along side parking lots (Midland/South Beach) where I used to hang out in HS and kiss boys :) hahaha whatever motivation it takes to get you through right?

Another major point I have to share with you all ... the universe has sent me a wonderful "push" for the last, and what I believe to be the hardest, part of this training... my teammate Amanda Monaco. She and I discovered a few training runs back that we run about the same pace. Quite honestly - having her to run with has been one of the main points that is keeping me focused... Even waking up yesterday to go to the run, for a minute I was like "eh, I could say I slept through my alarm and do the run myself"... but then I thought about Amanda running solo, in addition to my own catholic/Jewish guilt and I got right up and got out the door! We push each other, make each other laugh, take care of each other through these long runs ... and in the nearly 4 hours we ran together yesterday, it made it seem like much less than that, and made the journey so much sweeter.

I really needed to complete that mileage yesterday to feel like I can actually finish the marathon. Up until yesterday I had a few lingering doubts.... I was looking for any way to get outta running this race - that's as honest as I can get with you all ... call it fear/nerves/laziness/whatever. I have discovered I'm not exactly a runner, but I have come to admire and respect the long-distance runners ethics tremendously, and I'm lucky to have seen a glimpse of what their lives are like all the time during these months...

Really it's all about the lessons... all this running has taught me so much.... SO much about how I tick inside .... and also that I really can complete something I've started... no matter how uncomfortable it is... if I just show up ... and do the work.

Now you ask - will I do another marathon? Hmmmm jury is still out, and right now if I had to answer I'd say probably not. But everyone says not to make that judgment until after I experience the race...I think this year with the vertigo and work insanity that I've had a few additional obstacles to taint my experience, but that's life right? Nothing is ever THAT easy...

I spoke with another friend from work Patrick that runs marathons every year... I told him how I was hurting a bit today, had doubts... and how hard it's been for me... and he said "if it was easy Karen, everyone would do it... "

It's not easy... not at all... but I'm finding out through all the self-reflection that it's more than worth it... and maybe - just maybe on November 3rd, I'll be able to truly call myself a marathon runner :)

xoxoxox
Curly