And here I sit. Less than 2 weeks to go from my ½ marathon. Same ½ marathon Clint and I have run for the past 4 years together. I know the course. I dread mile 10 and the hill. It’s probably not really that big of a hill but in my mind it’s roughly the equivalent to Mt Everest. (I think any hill past about mile 2 is too much of a hill…I mean seriously I’m running 13+ miles here, isn’t that enough???). Of course I say that as I look to running Imogene Pass Run in September which is a nearly 6,000 foot climb in 10 miles…(alright enough on mile 10 and it’s wimpy little incline).
And I’ve trained. I’ve run and I’ve run and I’ve run. Clint on the other hand…has not. That’s not totally fair, we’ve done a couple of runs together with him pushing a jogging stroller. And I think he’s gotten up twice since January to go on a run. So I guess he’s ready…I mean come on, what’s 13 miles? Especially when you have long legs. Which I don’t, but he does so maybe if you have long legs you don’t need to train, you can just go run 13 miles like no one’s business and all those of us with short legs are cursed with never being able to reach anything past the first shelf in the cupboards and having to spend hours and hours training for ½ marathons. I seriously need to working on growing a few more inches.
And it’s not always been sunshine and birds singing while I’ve trained. Sure I’ve had some gorgeous runs, the sky has been blue, the mountains clear or the ocean amazing to watch (when I ran on vacation a few weeks back since I don’t normally come across many oceans here in Colorado). And even on cool days when the trail is all packed down with snow and it’s just peaceful and amazing.
And why? Well for the first time I actually have a bigger goal in mind for this ½ marathon. Well bigger than making it to the end still alive (which is a pretty reasonable goal if you ask me because well, 13 miles is…well…..13 miles). And I haven’t really shared my goal publically because then that means that other people know that I have a goal….which means then I have to be accountable to it…whereas if no one knows…it’s just me. And it’s pretty safe keeping my goal just to myself.
But here you go…My goal is to break the 2 hour mark on my ½ marathon.
And for some of you speedy people out there that doesn’t seem like too much. But I’m not so speedy. And so I’ve been working. And training. And running. And running some more. And while I haven’t run just like my training plan says I should I’ve done what I can. There are only so many hours in a day and between 3 little boys, a husband with long legs, working as an ER doctor, homeschooling and everything else inbetween, I’ve done what I’ve been able to do and I’m ok with that. And that’s not an excuse, it’s just where I’m at.
But I’ve pushed through…more so this year in training than ever before. I’ve journaled and reviewed my runs. Stretched and strengthened. And put in time and miles and more time and more miles. I feel strong. I feel ready. And I think my goal is reachable. Guaranteed? By no means…it’s going to be a fight each mile of the way to make it happen, but its possible. Even with a hill at mile 10.
Hiking Mommy 