Got it

When I woke on Saturday, a gusty, rainy day waited for me. I planned on 20+ miles. I stood at the back door and watched waves of breezy rain trail through the parking lot. Donning my running gear, I mused over the hours of fighting through the winds and cold, what to wear for the water, how to cover the ipod....and all the while thinking, couldn't I just go back to sleep? One more contemplation on the front stoop, and one more clothes change...another light layer between the top and under shirt. And with one deep breath, its off I go.

I had good endurance to Publix, the first 10. And though tired, I still had my motivation. I caught 2 squalls on the way in, and felt wet and cold. On the way out, I stretched the outer loop an extra block before heading back east and the uber-long straight away home; except this time, I detoured to Johnson, making the extra 3+miles in the run. A head wind was in my face all this distance....for more than 10-12 miles at regular intervals I pushed into cold, gusty and rainy winds....several times I shouted, screamed and pummeled my arms into those winds...but I made a pack to myself to keep moving....I even got lost off Johnson, trying to find a way back up to Taft.... and got so disoriented I had to ask a motorist which way, finally, was east again. Miraculously, after what seemed like the toughest stretch, I made it in to civilization and University, where I rewarded myself with a major stop. I needed to stretch my legs and get my mind mentally around the 2 big stretches left- the miles into 441, and the last big leg from there home. The 441 stretch is segmented by chunks of major blocks, and I counted them down...McKinley, McKinley, Roosevelt etc...until I was crossing over towards Thomas. By then I had well towards 18? and I was actually finding my late stride. It was somewhere around here that I finally found the marathon; somewhere in me I knew I had the distance in me...and as each segment melted away I could feel my legs dig in to the corner of the next block and take their stride with certainly, staying on my feet, keeping the gait, even with the discomfort and stiffness settling in. The best blocks are always the last; but this time, it wasn't to end the pain, it was to enjoy the freedom from absolute meltdown. I needed to stop, yes, but I didn't have to. And when I saw on the route that it was just shy of 22 and 1/2, I felt triumphant, as if I'd already run the race. It was done. If squally, cold weather didn't take me out, if I could stay on my feet 5 plus hours to do this run, I can handle the task...I am so much tougher than I think....

There are only so many ways we are given to truly test ourselves in this life...some come to us unbidden, and some we choose willingly, to pit ourselves against a vision, a potential, a possibility, or a probability....to extend our range of experience and our limits, to conquer fear. I am no longer afraid of the race. I am a respecter, a navigator, a willing companion of the miles. I hope to befriend the road in Miami, and make it fall in love with me, and save me from getting lost in doubt, once I have it to myself; just me a few bunch of thousands of other running fools....

21 days. Dave says, speed work and long run - 1 (or 2?) left. Eat. sleep. Stay focused. Have heart.