I just felt like running...

Not totally true... I don't really remember what started the 'running thing'. But, pretty sure there was peer pressure involved.

My goals a year or so ago - keep running 10k's. Run a 1/2 marathon when I was 39. Marathon at 40.

Ended up a few weeks ahead. Ran the first 1/2 just before I turned 39 and the marathon is scheduled for five weeks before my 40th birthday.

If you know me at all you know being ahead of schedule is generally a good thing. Although daunting.

The bummer of training is how many practice miles there are. A lot. Unfortunately I can't just go out and run 26.2 on the day... 

And so, on Saturday I ran 14.2. Only a little over a mile further than a 1/2. But, damn. I felt it. Trying to tell myself, hey, it's only 12 more miles on the big day...

This whole marathon thing started when Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to tell of the victory against Persia. He announced the victory then died.

Um, wait. What? He died?

Shit.

He had run about 150 miles over the two days prior. He was 40 years old. Turns out at the time life expectancy was 40-45. 

When I mentioned this to a friend. The possibility of just dropping dead... She was quick with, 'he was an old Greecian who probably hasn't had water in days. You're going to let that intimidate you?'

Um, yeah. Probably.

I'm thinking I'll rethink my goal for the actual race day. 

Finishing is winning. Oh, and not dying.