Two Weeks' Notice

Saturday's Run:

Distance: 12 miles

Time: 2:16:44

Pace: 11:20 per mile

So, originally my goal was to finish the half marathon at a 10 minute mile pace. As my training progresses, however, it's become apparent that this is an unrealistic goal. Now the only real goal is to cross the finish line with the feeling that I have nothing left in the tank. On yesterday's run, I had nothing left in the tank. Around mile 10, I was moving at the same pace as the 6 year old to my left on his Razr scooter, which the iPod tells me was about 12:30 per mile. This is practically walking. Before my run, I called my dad to see how his recovery was going from his latest treatment. He said, "I feel flat." He meant, "I feel like shit, and I have no energy."

At mile 10, I felt flat. Then I realized: I did not get a chemotherapy treatment two days ago. I made the conscious effort at that point to turn my feet over faster and push off harder in an attempt to cover more ground more quickly. The Nike+ says I finished at a pace of about 9 minutes per mile, so I succeeded in kicking my ass into gear. There was a woman ahead of me pushing a stroller that I was trying to catch. I didn't quite catch her, but I got close.

I am curious to see how fast I can run on race day. 13 miles is essentially the same as 12 in my book, so I am hoping I can finish under 2:30. There are several unpredictable variables, however. The race is two weeks away, and my runs between now and then are much shorter than the ones I've been logging, so my body should have time to recover, and I might be able to improve my speed. While running the race, I'll be able to take advantage of the water/gatorade stations, and there will be plenty of people cheering me on. There will also be more people to try to catch. There will also be bigger hills and a headphone prohibition. So we shall see.

Donations Update:

I've surpassed my goal, but I hope some of you who have been tuning in to this journey will still consider contributing. I think it would be fun if people started donating $1 or $2 per mile- $13 or $26 might not seem like a lot, but it adds up! If you're not in a position to contribute financially, though, I still appreciate all of the moral support you guys have given me throughout the process. I'll be thinking of you all on race day. Everyone who has said, "How's your training going?" is stored up in my motivation bank, from which I intend to make frequent withdrawals on March 21.