As marathon day approaches I am growing more and more restless. With all this heat and humidity over the past few weeks my training has been very difficult. On several occasions I've had to shorten my mileage due to dehydration. On one of my longer runs last week a sweet elderly man in a pick-up truck pulled up next to me and said, "Young lady, you have true grit!" I smiled and thanked him for his kinds words. And honestly, it was these encouraging words that helped me complete that run. I kept thinking that I really wanted to have true grit in me, I wanted to live up to his expectations.I know that seems silly, but I truly believe that 90% of long distance running is deep down perseverance and mental strength - the physical aspect is the easy part.
This week I have my first 20 mile run...which I will probably do on Friday instead of Sunday because our schedules are getting crazier and crazier by the day. So, I enjoyed a spaghetti dinner tonight in preparation for that run. I will also enjoy left-over spaghetti for lunch tomorrow and my famous mushroom and red pepper pasta for dinner tomorrow night (only famous with my husband). I have also upped my water intake and have stocked up on Gatorade for the big run. (Some would argue that Gatorade is not really any better than water. I have researched the science behind it online and have come to the conclusion that Gatorade is superior to water for long distance running, in which your body requires calories and hydration while exercising.) Anyways, because of the humidity, which is supposed to be extreme on Friday, I'm waking up earlier and earlier to run in order to beat the heat. Bad part is; I'm not an early bird. So this week will be especially difficult.
I keep reminding myself that I am very lucky to have the opportunity to train for a marathon. There are countless sickness, injuries, and conditions which can keep a person from being able to train for a marathon and for now, I'm free from them. So, thank you God. I know that running is a blessing and that I should be thankful for each and every hot and humid run.
