It has been 43 weeks since I set out to become a marathoner. Why would a marathon be on anyone’s bucket list, let alone a middle-aged fluffy mama? Who in their right mind would ever believe that completing 26.2 miles is a good idea?  

How many people can say they’ve run a marathon? 

The math teacher in me will tell you that approximately only 0.5% of the US population has ever completed a marathon.  Completing a marathon puts this middle aged fluffy mama into an elite club, gives me some bragging rights. There are also those people in my life (ahem, 2 high school coaches) who always made me not good enough, completing a marathon is my finger in the eye back at the way they made me feel.  Sort of like a shock factor, because I do not look like a “runner” and running is (was) so out of character for me. While it will be somewhat satisfying for me to paste all over social media that I completed a marathon, in reality, completing a marathon only helps me to tap back down those feelings of being second best. Which leads me to the real reason why I want to complete a marathon…

Because I Can!

This journey has been about challenging myself. Getting older means there are less “firsts” in my life and fewer things to make me feel full of butterflies or give me that natural high.  Even thinking about crossing that finish line now in my mind gives me a huge rush. There have been training runs that have sucked, times that I have wanted to give up and I know that during the actual marathon there will be moments that will literally bring me to my knees.  Nothing is ever given to you (and no amount of pixie dust is going to get you to the finish line). I have had to work for this moment. Knowing that I completed such a feat is empowering and exhilarating. “If I can do this, what can’t I do?”  More than anything, I want to prove to myself what I am capable of doing if I put my mind (and my aching feet/legs) to it.

I did put my mind and my legs to the challenge of a marathon. I have completed 128 training runs totally over 400 miles… 

It’s time to “trust my training” as I depart on Thursday morning for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and eventually start the 2020 Walt Disney World Marathon on Sunday.