Marathoning!

Eugene Marathon is Sunday morning.  26.2 miles of road and path starting and ending in Hayward field.  I finish up teaching this course Saturday and drive down.  I'm feeling a little weak still and have been acting all cool about the race because it's not that much longer than my Sunday long run would be anyways.  Truth is, I'm a little nervous, excited, and wondering how I'll feel to finish a race with nobody waiting for me but my own good feelings and Ori who's running too.

My first marathon! 2005

 I was remembering my first Marathon the other day.  I had decided to start running, signed up for the Muir Woods Trail Marathon and trained.  It was a huge accomplishment and finishing with Daniel, Josh, and Greer waiting for me at the finish line was wonderful.  We drank champagne on the beach after and headed back to Yosemite to a classroom full of congrats.  It was a total love fest.  Since then I've run races, coached cross country, lost 30 pounds, stopped smoking, and grabbed life by the balls as best I can.
 This Ironman has tested my personal motivations, with 100s of hours biking, running, and swimming alone, no spectators, I could take it or leave it, it doesn't really matter to anyone else, it's for me.  
 I'm thrilled and honored to run this race with Ori, it's her first marathon, she trained through the Wyoming winter, badass.  I'm thrilled to have someone to share it with.  We'll drive to the race, do our run, finish and come home.  I don't think there will be anyone at the finish line for us.  It will be for us.