Over Half Way There
We have been training for a little over two months and there is less than two months until the marathon. We are over half way through training.
Andrew and I just got back from a 14 mile run about an hour ago. I am exhausted. My legs ache. I am too tired to get off the couch for a shower and I just ate enough food to feed a couple of small African villages.
We are here at the half-way point in our training and I am not exactly sure how to feel. On the one hand, I just ran the farthest I have ever run in my life. I am in the best shape of my life. I am right on schedule and I have completed every one of my training runs without much incident (Knock on wood.). After every run I complete, I get a runner’s high and have a great sense of accomplishment.
On the other hand, I am completely dead. I can barely move… and I only ran 14 miles. I still have 12 miles and 385 yards to go! It is taking a lot of effort for me to beat back the creeping feelings of doubt in my mind. As happy as I am that I just ran 14 miles, I am unsure I will be able to finish the 16 mile run next week, let alone 26.2 in less than 2 months.
It is hard to manage those conflicting emotions. I am dead tired, yet I feel more alive ever. With every run I complete my confidence grows, but so does my doubt that I will be able to finish the next long run.
I really cannot think of any thing else I ever done that works like that and I think it is part of the reason why training for and completing the marathon will mean so much to me.
~Sean
