Other training - 2.5 hours yoga
Funds raised so far: $645
It's been a strange week. On the one hand, I'm excited because I finally feel like I'm really going to do this - train and fundraise to run the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon in October. We had our first session with our fabulous TNT coaches, Ramona and Theresa, Monday might, and I sent out an initial appeal to potential sponsors and booked a hotel for our stay in San Francisco.
On the other hand, I've been tapering (i.e. reducing my training) in preparation for the marathon I'll run in New Glasgow this coming Sunday - meaning my body and head feel all twitchy and out of sorts from the sudden drop in physical activity. I ran my last serious training run - 10km at race pace - on Saturday. It didn't feel as easy as I'd hoped so I'm trying to rest as much as possible this week in hopes I arrive at the start line feeling fresher than I did last weekend.
My goal for this marathon is to run a sub-4:30 (finally!) and reward all those people who showed such faith in me two years ago - the last time I attempted it in Chicago. Currently, the forecast is for a reasonably cool, overcast day but it's June in Nova Scotia so anything's possible. If Sunday is hot and humid, it will be difficult to improve on my personal best time of 4:47 given that I've done nearly all my training in much cooler temperatures.
But I'm trying not to think about that too much. After all, there's nothing I can do about the weather. What I can do is eat properly, get lots of rest, make contingency plans, think positive thoughts and show a little faith in the training and my body's ability to go the distance.
I got a great note from one of my sponsors this morning. She and Jon were friends and she said she thinks of him often - how much he loved his job and what it meant to him - and told me she has one of his business cards on her desk to help her keep things in perspective when her own work gets a bit frustrating. What a wonderful illustration of how Jon's life - though far too short - affected so many people in positive ways!
I think of Jon often too - especially when I'm training. A love of running was one of the things he and I had in common. I won't have his card with me on Sunday, but I guarantee I'll be thinking about him. And, if things get tough for whatever reason and I start to lose faith that I can run all 42.2 kms, I'll remind myself of just how hard he fought to stay alive through all those long months of treatment, and how lucky I am to be out there attempting to finish another marathon - let alone finish one in under four and a half hours.
Thanks for the inspiration, Jon! I promise I'll do my best to make you proud - on Sunday, and in the weeks and months ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment