one day away

I've been thinking about how this marathon thing started. I always wanted to run a marathon, since I was a high school runner. Every year I watch the Boston Marathon and long to run it myself. Being one of the world's most elite marathons, not just anyone can run Boston. There are some spots for charity runners, but everyone else has to qualify to enter the race. Qualifying is not easy. It is a big deal to BQ. Still, every April I watch and get a little misty eyed as I think how amazing it would be to run Boston myself. I always thought that maybe someday I would at least run a marathon, even if I never got fast enough for Boston. That day would be far away, because training takes a lot of time. Last April I wrote this post about Boston. I prattled on about how someday, maybe I would fulfill my dream of running a marathon.

The night I wrote that post, I started thinking more about that. I realized there might never be an ideal point in my life when I would have all the time in the world for training. Or, that point would be several years away when we were done having children. I started entertaining the idea of running a marathon now. I looked at training programs online and decided it could be doable. Then I said to Chris, "I think I want to run a marathon". "When?" he said. "Well, I'm thinking about next fall." I explained my reasoning that there was no point in putting it off when with some effort I could get a first marathon under my belt now. I may have shed a few tears of emotion. How could he say no to his wife fulfilling her life's dream? :)

If I hadn't written that post, about running a marathon being my dream, I probably wouldn't have gone down this path at all. I'd still be sitting around wondering if it would ever happen.

In June, I signed up for Hartford. I wrote this post about it. I was so, so excited, and nervous. What had I gotten myself into? Yes, it would be a dream come true, but could I really do it? Could my body handle all that running? How would I have time to run forty or fifty miles a week?

Six hundred or so miles later, I'm one day away. When you mark the passage of time by training weeks and miles run, time sure flies. I have loved (almost) every minute. Sometimes doubt does enter my mind. But, I am awfully stubborn and determined when I put that mind to something. I'm awfully lucky, really. I have never failed at any of the big goals I've set for myself. If I put my mind to it, it will get done. And, you know? It's a pretty darn good way to live. If you have confidence in yourself and in your body, and are willing to work as hard as you need to to reach a personal goal, chances are you'll succeed. So, thinking about my track record makes me confident that I will absolutely finish this marathon. I'll finish in the amount of time I want to, with a smile on my face and tears of happiness in my eyes.

The tears are already coming just thinking about that finish line, so I can't waste them.

Tomorrow I'm running a marathon.