20 Miles

Twenty miles is kind of a milestone in marathon training...at least it is in my mind. Maybe it is because it's a nice, round number divisable by 10. Maybe it's because last year when I attempted 20 miles during a training session, I pulled out after 10 because my hamstring was really tight and I thought I was going to pull it. So finishing 20 miles this time was a nice mental accomplishment. Maybe it's because when you tell other people  you did 20 miles, they either look at you like you are entirely bonkers or they look at you with a little admiration. More times than not, it's a little of both. 

I ran a half-marathon this fall. Don't get my wrong - it was a ton of fun running through mud and muck for 2.5 hours (see post on Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon), but the training itself was fairly onerous. Completing even a 10 mile run seemed time consuming and even a little tedious. I have to admit, I was a little concerned about how I would mentally handle all of these long runs for a marathon if I was annoyed doing "long" runs for a half marathon. Then one fall morning it hit me - it wasn't the training that left me wanting. It was the lack of a cause.  I didn't have a clear idea of why I was running. I just was. I like doing things for me and all, but I have enough other exercise interests that I don't need to do halves and fulls just for myself. I have made it through these marathon training almost effortlessly from a mental perspective. I enjoyed every single long run. I knew where I was going and why I was going there. I felt centered and that it just another reason for why I run. 

For now...17 days until the marathon.