A little distance from the run

Tomorrow will be two weeks post run and oddly, I feel the need to blog. Almost as much as I still feel the need to run (more on that later). Blogging about my training and my run has become an interesting combination of tracking my progress, communicating with my lurking friends, and keeping my head on straight. It's also kept me from becoming a complete bore (I hope) as I've discovered that there are few topics people talk more incessantly about than training for a marathon. One of those topics of course would be their kids and since I had fodder for discussion in both areas, I would guess there was little else I would talk about, were it not for the fact that my blog gave me one outlet for at least one of the topics.

Some thoughts two weeks out:

 The things I remember from the race seem random to me:

• All the kids at the beginning of the race. I must have done about 100 high fives in the first five miles. 
• Of course, the Wellesley girls. Yes it was loud. Yes they were funny. We were laughing through that whole section. But I remember very clearly is the sound after we passed them and how the roar of them reverberated for a good stretch afterwards. 
• Heartbreak Hill. I remember the last stretch of it and looking up and not being able to see where it crested because all I could see was people. I remember this family on the left side of the street  and running slowly by them; it felt like I was just out for a Sunday run.
•  Oranges. Lots of people giving them out and even though I had decided not to eat anything that people were giving out (Twizzlers, candy, oranges), I had four or five and they were great.
• Feeling great at mile 16 (where I hit the wall at my last marathon in 2003.  
• Feeling great at mile 21 after Heartbreak Hill when I had run longer than any training run.
• Feeling tired at mile 25 going through Kenmore Square.
• Feeling great turning onto Hereford (the block before Boylston).

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team is incredible -- both the small staff and the legions of volunteers. Upbeat. Encouraging. Helpful. Friendly. From the moment I signed up to the Marathon and beyond, they helped make the marathon not just an event in which I participated, but an experience that I'll remember. They're reason enough to run Boston for Dana-Farber -- of course, the ability to raise money for critical cancer research is reason enough, too. 

In two weeks since the marathon, I've run five times. Mostly 4 milers with two 6 milers thrown in. I'm slowly getting back to my goal of 15-20 miles a week. My body feels better than ever now and I'm constantly looking forward to the next run. As I've said to many people, this is the first time I've finished a marathon and wanted to do it again. It may take a few years before I do that, and I might not ever do it -- the time commitment to training is a huge burden on family time, and the idea of doing 10ks and half-marathons might make more sense. Regardless, the fact that I've felt this strong (mentally and physically)  from about day one post race on is a testament to the DFMC program and the Boston Marathon itself. 

Happy running all,

MB