Chevron Houston Marathon Training Week 22

Tuesday, November 22, 2016


Somehow, time always speeds up at the end of marathon training. I am 53 days away from the big day. The super long runs are the norm and I am again reminder of all the joys of this part of the training. 
I had a commitment on Saturday, so I went on my long run on Sunday. This is a photo of me at the half point. 
It was a solo, quiet run. The sun made the cold temperatures very nice indeed. I thought about my "why." The "why" of anything I do in life gets me through the tough spots, it reignites my resolve and it helps me finish strong. 
The "why" of marathon running can remain the same for the entire season or in my case, it can be enhanced. During my first marathon training season, I lost both my beloved grandmothers. It was so tough to think about them during my runs so I'd use them as internal inspiration but I tried to think of other things to get me through the run. My "why" that season was enhanced because I started to run with the awareness that their legacies lived in me and I wanted to honor them through my successful training and completing the marathon. 
This season I started very time focused. My "why" was a PR and I quickly changed that after the first race of the warmup series. I decided that my "why" had to return to its original state. I run to honor God with my body. God gave me a second chance, I took it and now I am a runner. My why is also my sweet family. I have become a better wife and mother because of this training and I am thankful to find that running long distance connects me with my family.
Have you ever considered your "why"? Has it ever changed or evolved? I'd love to hear what you think and what your "why" is.
This morning I went for my second set of exercises for the week. The past two days have been crazy different. Monday it was freezing outside, today we were back in shorts weather. I often tell my friends that I love to go on a run because I get my best ideas out there. Today was not different. I suddenly realize that it is important to find a place or activity where you can mine your ideas and enhance your creativity. Running long distance does that for me. I came back home forgetting about the heat (yes, I was super hydrated!) and with a smile on my face because of the wonderful idea that came to me. Oh, if you are wondering what that is, I have been working on a speech and the best illustration for that talk came to me this morning.
Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the US and one of the things I will mention to God is my thankfulness for the gift of running. It helps me in so many ways and I hope to help others through it as well. Thanks for reading and I will write about my training again next week! I'm thankful for you my dear friend! 

Previously in this Series:
• Week 1
• Week 2

• Week 3
• Week 4 - Barry Walter
• Week 5 - Christine Soliman
• Week 6 - Ron Booth
• Week 7
• Week 8
• Week 9
• Week 13
• Week 14
• Week 15
• Week 16
• Week 17
• Week 18
• Week 19
Weeks 20 and 21

Read the stories of my previous Marathons in Houston:
• Chevron Houston Marathon 2014
• Chevron Houston Marathon 2015
• Chevron Houston Marathon 2016