After bailing on my last 32k run I set out today to just spend some time running without panicking about the distance.  My goal was to complete 2 hours of running, if and only if my body felt like it.  I’m happy to report that in the end I did 2 hours and 57 minutes of running, and a total of 28 km.  There was nothing spectacular about the run, I kept my pace slow and steady and I stopped my watch and took the time to stretch any time I felt like I was getting sore.  With just under 3 weeks until the marathon, I knew I had to make sure I did nothing to injure myself.  Mentally though, this was a good run.  I now feel like I have done all I can do to complete a marathon, and that is a good feeling.

I am not a marathon runner.  Well, I kind of am since I have done one and I was crazy enough to sign up for another.  What I mean is this is not my distance.  I don’t at all mean that in a negative way.  I love the half marathon, I think I have it in me to be a faster 10k runner, I discovered at my last race that 10 miles is an awesome race distance, and I can honestly say I enjoyed my first 30k race in March.  Marathons and 5k’s though, just not my distances.  That said I am proud of myself for taking on race distances that aren’t in my comfort zone (really, there is nothing comfortable about running a marathon, or for that matter trying to run a speedy 5k).  And I am thrilled that I worked my way through another round of marathon training.  I am a stronger runner for it and once again I have accomplished things I thought impossible.  Heck, I just ran 22 km, took a day off and ran another 28!  Really, I did that?!?

Here’s the best part of today’s run.  Once finished I headed to a store to buy my favourite post run drink, chocolate milk.  The very bored looking teenage cashier asked if I had just gone for a run.  I couldn’t resist a little bragging, she did ask after all!  I replied that I had finished a 3 hour run.  I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head, it was like I had said something that was nothing short of impossible 🙂  I admit it, it is fun to impress someone less than half my age!

Now it is officially taper time for me.  I am not even going to look at a training schedule.  My body is telling me it is taper time, it needs some rest.  So all of my runs are now going to be done by feel to make sure I am rested and ready to enjoy the marathon, regardless of how slow or fast I am come race day.