Who's Gonna Walk You Through the Dark Side of the Morning

So here we are entering the last week before the big red. Last week I did 14 miles (after what I ate and drink it was not the best but the pace okay although I still wonder if I can ru faster for longer).  Tomorrow I have a 10 miler and that is the last long run. I did my last set of yes sows and my last temple run. Monday I'm supposed to do mile repeats but I may turn that into a tempo-sequel run on Tuesday. Anyway you slice it though we're coming to the end of this endeavor.

It's funny how I started this in July and yet it doesn't seem like it's been that long. I know I've done the one runs, I know I've run over 20 miles or at 20 miles three times, but it doesn't seem like it's possible that I'm supposed to have a race day and just barely over a week. That's not to say that I don't feel prepared. I've really  try to come to terms with/approach this race as I did what I did and could I have done more, yes; however, I feel like I did what I wanted to do and I don't feel like one more run or one more speed workout will make a difference. Perhaps the next time.  Because I know there was more I could have done but I'm not sure at this stage I would have wanted to do that.

See the thing is I still like running after all of this. My concern with training for something like this was I would be so burnt out and have such a distaste with running that I would want to stop after this. I'm already trying to think of how I plan a schedule so that I can still run consistently even without a large race planned. And I've also come to terms with depending how far off I am and if Evan qualifies that I might distract the shoes back on with in a couple weeks and try again with a slightly alter training plan.

 So in eight days regardless of what happens I do feel pretty good about what I did. I know if you're having seen other runners and friends do this that there is so many things that could go wrong next Sunday and I have to take them all literally in stride. Obviously the best thing I can hope for is what I've been planning for this whole time but I've also tried to recognize that may not happen and that I should still enjoy and be proud of what does happen. And if things are close or  even maybe if they aren't there can always be a next time and there is a part of me that looks forward to that.