Yesterday I finally made it past the 26k mark, 3km past to be exact. I would love to say I ran that distance straight through, but there were definitely breaks, particularly at the 27k point where I sat on a bench and enjoyed the view of the canal locks at the base of Parliament Hill.

This run was a big step for me in preparing for the marathon. By now I should have already done this distance – twice I think. So I am still behind. But at least right now I feel a little less behind and at this stage that is important. A big help to my success was running with a more (far more) experienced runner than myself. A special thanks to Cyndi who until yesterday I only knew through emails. She has taken the time to answer questions, offer support and then yesterday take me out for a run downtown with her partner. Even her young daughter joined us for much of the run in a stroller. I think when I am running the marathon I will hear her daughter’s voice calling, “Run faster, run faster!” Cyndi and her family are another great example of the wonderful people you meet in the running world. I hope one day I too can help someone along in their running journey. By the way, Cyndi has started her own nutrition and performance coaching business. You can check her out here

During the last few months I have had to constantly review and adjust my goals. I have gone from “just finishing” to setting different time goals. I think I have come full circle. I need to finish this but I also need to let go of the burden of time expectations. It is not that having a time to beat is a bad thing. Goals, after all are what make us rise to our greatest achievements, they are what allow us to reach our full potential. I firmly believe that in our lives we all need goals that go beyond the regular day to day expectations that others have of us. But it is a fine line balancing realistic goals with those that will push you above and beyond what you think you are capable of. Sometimes setting that bar too high can actually knock you down a little and it can be tough to get back up. So, if I give up on aiming for a specific time, does that mean I am giving up altogether? I don’t think so. I have already achieved more than I thought I could. That doesn’t give me an excuse to stop trying, but sometimes you have to look at how far you have come rather than always focussing on how far you still have to go. Yesterday I ran 29km. Was it fast? No. Did I need rest breaks? Yes. When I headed back to my car did I realize as I was jaywalking that the cars were going to have to stop for me since I couldn’t get across any faster? Yes. But in the end it was still the farthest I have ever run.

So here is the way I am looking at my marathon. I will not be as fast as I secretly hoped. Will I be disappointed in a very slow run that may have a lot more walking in it than I originally planned. If I am honest, yes. But the only other choice is to not run the race at all. That would be far more disappointing and is just not something I can do to myself. In five weeks I am planning on crossing that finish line in Toronto in whatever time I can.