
Just a quick update on the Pittsburgh marathon, that I am running this May.
I have been training since November, it has been quite a journey for me. I have not only had to train my body, but my mind as well. With all these short twitch muscle fibers of mine, I have had to re-train my muscles to generate and endure distances vs. speed, and quickness. As for my mind, it has been a constant struggle to believe that I can actually run over 3 miles in one haul...I just want to give up but I use self-talk and good music as motivators, which seem to get me thru.
I am pleased with my progress, however I am still wondering how I am going to endure the 6.2 miles of the marathon relay I am running from time to time. I keep telling myself the adrenaline will carry me forward, however reality sets in and I wonder if I will have the endurance to finish. I keep pushing myself on each run and I am currently running 3.5 miles with only 3 more to go to reach my goal. On April 3rd, I will have exactly one month left. I can hear the little clock as I run, going tick-tick-tick. One definite change I made this year with my program was to run outside much earlier than last spring. The hills and the elements have been a definite challenge, however I hope they prove beneficial come race day.
I hope to see Keith and Allyson at my mark on May 3rd and with confidence I hope to make my relay team proud! The other particpants in my relay are not fighting the age factor, like myself. Three of my students (20 somethings) are making up the other 3 legs of my relay, luckily they are 4 other teams competing and all the old folks (like myself) are running the same leg as me!
I truly hope that I don't look like the cartoon figure in my post when I am finished :-)
