It's time

Everything about this marathon just got real. We are approaching the summit; the last time you can do any kind of training that will actually make you a better, faster runner. Conquering injury and getting back on track are the only things on the agenda.

Have you had an event in life get built up to the point where it was all you could think about? It's not my wedding day or anything but yeah, the 21 miler this weekend has successfully taken over my brain. The stress is killing me, literally - I'm falling apart. Stress, UC, and injuries don't mix well. I've been trying my best to eat healthy and get sleep (Yes, I missed LOST, Office, 30 Rock, and NCAA games this week because of my 8:30 bedtime). I've also tried to get up early and work out rather than the day's end because of my exhaustion lately. I'm pretty sure it's the meds.

This weekend is going to be killer. We are going out to Hopkinton to run the first 21 miles of the race. It will be my first time out there, and my first time seeing this part of the course. For the first 13 miles, its all down hill. To most, that sounds like a blessing. In reality, downhill running is very tough and breaks down the muscles very quickly. Your quads are being asked to contract while slowing you down (equivalent to doing 'negatives' in the gym). Many runners come out too quickly thinking they are taking advantage of the downhill but are quickly awoken with a swift slap in the face from Ms. Newton. Yep, Heartbreak is just up the street and their quads are destroyed. Hopefully this will be a learning experience so I don't make the same rookie mistake.

At this point, there is no reason to worry anymore - just go with the flow, take it slow, and dominate like I do every other week. I'll let ya know how it goes.