the universal.

i have fantasized about running the ing nyc marathon for a really, really long time. i have crossed the finish line in my head over and over... i have ended training runs pretending i was ending to deafening applause on the west side of central park... running the marathon is very, very important to me.

my last year of college i daydreamed about graduation constantly... i was so excited and i played what i imagined the day would be like on loop in my mind. when it finally came around, it was a terrible day... such a terrible day. all that anticipation and... ugh.

monday i hurt my knee... my knees have always been problematic, but more so lately with the training. they were letting me know they needed a rest, but i was over training... and monday during speed work, i was side-lined.

this week has been tough... my last injury was two years ago... i.t. band... but that wasn't a week before the biggest run of my life. this week i was barely able to navigate to work, let alone run. it's amazing how running has become so much of who i am... i felt a part of me missing without the run... i felt sad, frustrated, listless... and i hate to admit it, but frighteningly out of shape... i imagined my fitness slipping away with each runless day. i did core work and weights, but it wasn't the same. and all that training... only to be injured a week before the big day...

i ran friday, then had a hard time friday night and yesterday... yesterday i got a brace and gait analysis at jack rabbit... and today... i ran the poland spring marathon kick-off 5 miler. most would probably say that wasn't a good idea... i didn't feel like it was a good idea at the start... a minute in and i wanted to stop and walk. by the end of the run, i was near tears and more scared than ever to run the marathon. and this inury has almost shattered my positive psychological foundation...

however... i did finish strong-ish under the circumstances... i came in 748 out of 4958... 30 out of the 913 (!!) in my age group, and 99 out of the 2543 women.

this week i am going to focus so that next sunday i am ready...
i will not have another graduation day repeat.

anyone who wants more marathon information, go here... if you are outside the city and want to track my progress, download the ap. if you are in the city and want to cheer me on, check out the course map, let me know where you will be... and bring me grapes (my favourite running fuel) to grab on my way by. (my favourite place to cheer is on bedford in williamsburg... very personal with minimal congestion) and if you are running... have a beautiful race.