Am I really going to run a marathon?

The Royal Victoria Marathon is now just 12 days away, and the reality of it all is starting to sink in. What does this mean? That I'm SCARED OUT OF MY MIND.

It's not that I don't trust the training. My coaches are incredible, our program is solid, and God knows I've put in the work. But still, when you get to this point in the season, you can't help but wonder if you're truly ready. I've come to accept that this (the last-minute doubting and fretting) is a normal part of marathon training.

Our last "long" run was this weekend, in beautiful Monterey. It was the site of my 20-miler last season, which didn't go so well (this was when my brief ankle tendonitis decided to make itself manifest), so I had mixed feelings going in. On one hand, it's ridiculously gorgeous and with scenery such as this (the photo above really doesn't do it enough justice), could any run here really be THAT bad? But on the other hand, memories of the bum ankle and my less-than-triumphant finish the last time I ran this course kind of haunted me.

I'm happy to say that this run was MUCH better. I was a little worried at first, with my legs feeling heavy right from the get-go, but despite this (which, unfortunately, didn't get better at any point during the run), I persevered. My stamina was strong that day, and I managed to fight off fatigue, managing to maintain a good pace throughout and not feeling overly wiped by the end of the 10 miles. The best part? When I looked at my watch, I discovered that this was the fastest I had ever run 10 miles.

Rock on!

Royal Victoria will still be scary--I think you just need to have respect for your course--but I know I can face it. Conquer it, even. And it will be the culmination of all the hard work, all the aches, all the pain of this season. I'm imagining that finish line and what it will feel like to cross it and when I start to panic about the whole thing again, I will keep that visual in my head.

Catch you guys on the flip side.

Taper!!

Yes, ladies and gents, we have reached that point in the season once again: taper.

There is a marked contrast to the first time I experienced taper and this time around. That first time--last summer--I was climbing the walls, wondering what to do with myself and having a difficult time dealing with the sudden and drastic drop in activity. In the Winter season, taper came as a blessed respite, allowing me to heal from an ankle injury. And this season, I am once again looking forward to it--seeing it as a chance to rejuvenate, heal, and get mentally prepared for the big race.

It's been a tough season. I had underestimated the toll it would take on my body and spirit to do three consecutive seasons of training. Many of my teammates roll from Summer season into Winter and back into Summer again with little problems; it is simply the routine for them and their bodies are used to the drill. For me, however, the physical and mental demands of the training build up over time, and I realized that I truly do need that break over Winter season.

So I look forward to the next 4 weeks ahead as I get ready for 26.2. The big 20 mile run--at the dreaded Lake Merced--was as tough as could be and took a lot out of me, physically and emotionally (running around Lake Merced not once, but twice, will do that to someone), but at the end, the promise of taper got me through and gave me the mental fortitude I was looking for.

I have EARNED this taper. And I will take advantage of it fully!!

Bronco ladies ready to face the mighty Lake Merced!