Preperation is Key.

"You will be fine! You have trained for this and you will finish!"

Alyssa yells at Heidi and I from the kitchen. That dose of reality is helpful when you begin to talk about what happens if you can't finish.

This week has been tough...more accurately, walking has been tough. My leg has been bothering me, more than I've let on to anyone. I keep thinking that if I tell myself I am fine, the pain will stop but the advil I keep taking makes me realize that isn't the truth.

One race. 13.1 miles. That is all my leg needs to make it through...the part that worries me the most is if my mind can make it through 13.1 miles of pain in my leg.

Training for this run is not just a physical preparation, it is mental as well. You can see the mental changes in the way I eat, lace my shoes in anticipation of an afternoon run, my excitement in new workout gear. I can feel the mental changes as I use one of my new techniques to think not about my legs or blisters or knee but to think about my strength and endurance.

I know I'm prepared but there is one more thing I can do. It is the night before the race and Heidi and I have just finished our half-marathon run play list. Heidi was on itunes while I viewed the race map. At the end of our effort was a perfect playlist timed to be fast on the hills, silly when we'll be tired and keeping pace for some good timed miles.