I am 21 days away from my favorite time of the year. Every time I arrive at the Chevron Houston Marathon is a blessing, a privilege and such an honor. I will be running my fourth marathon, third time in the city of Houston. Every time I run, I learn so much about myself.
Today we ran our last super long mileage for this season, the 21-miler. I remember always been so scared of covering this distance. This time around, because I know what to expect, I am not as nervous. I'm eager to cover the distance and do my best. I am concerning about not forgetting anything, so I made my list and checked it twice. I also made sure that I was hydrated the day before and that I got some rest.
One thing I always wonder is, what in the world am I going to do for 21 miles? The options are plenty. Other than running (Ha!), I try to do the following:
• encourage everyone I see out there - I'm never too busy not to be polite to other runners and to encourage them. Even if all I can do is give a thumbs up, I believe in giving people props for being out there and running.
• help someone who seems to be struggling - I try my best to hear people's heart and give them encouragement to go on. You just never know what an encouraging word can do to a person's well being.
• catch up on my favorite podcasts - now that Serial is back, I've been listening to it during my long runs when there's no one else around. Last Saturday I was listening to 170 bpm music and that was nice. I also catch up on the Marathon Training Podcast.
• see the sights - watching the sun rise rocks during a run. I appreciate the fact that you enjoy a totally different run when the sun rises.
• pray - today's prayers were of thankfulness for being healthy and feeling great during that hot 21-miler. I also pray for different friends that come to mind.
At the end of my run, my running group buddies were waiting for us to finish and they were all clapping and congratulating us. It made the whole thing extra special! They get it, so they stick around and wait for us. I appreciate them more than words can say.
What I call "Tapper Tantrum" starts now. We're on tapper mode for 2 weeks then it's marathon time. I appreciate your prayers for a healthy, injury-free, perfect weather kind of marathon. Thanks for joining me in this journey friends!
• pray - today's prayers were of thankfulness for being healthy and feeling great during that hot 21-miler. I also pray for different friends that come to mind.
At the end of my run, my running group buddies were waiting for us to finish and they were all clapping and congratulating us. It made the whole thing extra special! They get it, so they stick around and wait for us. I appreciate them more than words can say.
What I call "Tapper Tantrum" starts now. We're on tapper mode for 2 weeks then it's marathon time. I appreciate your prayers for a healthy, injury-free, perfect weather kind of marathon. Thanks for joining me in this journey friends!
Previously in this Series:
• Weeks 23 and 24
• Week 22
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