A little banged up and in need of some R&R, i've finally come to race week. Or perhaps I should call it races week. This Saturday and Sunday I will attempt my first "double", running a full marathon on each day for a total of 52.4 miles in about 28 hours time.
The training for this hasn't been too grueling. Sure the back-to-back long runs have been a little tough and learning to run on very tired legs hasn't been a walk in the park, but all in all it wasn't horrible.
My legs are a little banged up...a sore right ankle, a tight left calf muscle and a left heel that barks on my long runs. These are pretty typical for any runner, though, and I don't anticipate them playing a role in my weekend. I pray they won't play a role in my weekend. Somebody please knock on wood for me.
Though my mileage is down to almost nothing, this week has proven to be the toughest training week yet. My physical training is over, but now the mental training kicks into gear. Preparing to run 52.4 is proving to be more daunting than it was when I signed up for the races. The extra steps I need to take to ensure my body survives the runs and the state of mind I have to will myself to have proven to be incredibly challenging.
I'm not looking for a pat on the back for this, trust me. There's plenty of other things I could do to earn a couple of those. I am doing this for me. Period. I am testing my limits to see what my body and my spirit can take. There are plenty others who have done far crazier, longer and bigger things in their running careers, and those are the people that truly deserve a pat on the back.
I am anxious, excited and cautiously optimistic for this weekend. Here's hoping I stay on my feet :)
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