Midway in Training for the Marathon -

I know I cannot make every training run with others consistently, but I do my running and keep on the schedule as much as possible. This week, I will have run 45 miles which is the most since I have started training- taking only one day off as opposed to two rest days. I would also guess that staying to the training schedule will be harder then running the marathon. Why? I hope to be well rested and strong when the marathon begins as opposed to feeling sluggish and tired like I have these past few weeks. On Saturday, I was supposed to run an 18 miler, instead I ran 9 miles but with pacing variations in the three laps around Lake Merritt (5k). First, I started the run with a warm-up for me that was 9-9:30 per mile, the second 5k was dropped to an 8 minute mile and the final 3 miles was at a 6:45 pace. Months ago I could only run that 6:45 consistently in a 5k race but with the miles, hills and consistent running accomplished so far, it has left me feeling so much more stronger since the beginning of the marathon training. I can feel the power, stamina and more importantly, the seeds of self-belief that continue to grow in my mind. These runs are a ten-fold increase from the usual once or twice a week runs that I used to do. I also know that I tend to push myself too hard sometimes with speed work (I'm a miler) and for me, I have to work at being patient and putting in the long slow distance (LSD). The other thing that will eventually catch me is a cold or a muscle strain. Knowing that, I continue to run while I am healthy and have the time. So when I miss some days or maybe a week of training, I know that I already have a lot of miles in the bank. Maybe I get a job next week? That will make the training runs much harder to accomplish- and for those who are already battling time constraints- and doing the runs late at night or early morning- I take my hat off to you! You should be very proud of your work. I also have been thinking about a post a runner in the LMJS forum asked "what one does to keep motivation up"?

I find myself so committed and focused to the training that I believe that is my starting point of my motivation. A quote given to me by my father when I started running competitively at the age of 15 continues to inspire me today "It has been said that the difference between a thoroughbred and a scrub is that a scrub runs until it cannot go another mile whereas the thoroughbred runs until it cannot go another mile-and then goes that other mile". If I can continue to run unswervingly ahead and injury free, I will be standing at the starting line confident, poised and ready to go- honoring the gift of running and all that it has brought me.