Time for refraction

Day 112 of 130
Ks covered: 834
Ks to go: 268
General mood: Relieved but nervous
Running highlight: Finishing my last pre-race long run
Equipment status: For the first time ever,  ran in a sleeveless shirt and wasn’t embarrassed!
Body status: Feels like I have restless leg syndrome
Weight: 146!!!! This is the last you will see of it until post -race. I’m done with the scale!

Last uber-run done, running-clothes in the wash and it’s officially time to wind it back Frankie Goes to Hollywood style and “Relax”.

Sounds good right?

Well, it’s only been three days, but while my feet have slowed down, nothing else has. What’s more, according to my running schedule I still have a 23K to go next week (funny what counts as a short-run these days!). But I’m antsy like a nest full of extra antsy ants. And worse, it seems the only thing feeding off that extra energy is self doubt.

For the few of you who haven’t hung on my every word since the beginning, in the past five-months, I’ve set out three goals for myself:  Run 58K a week a la Crazy Haruki; lose 15 pounds; and run the marathon in 4:20.

Three 90k weeks do not a taper make, so my crazy-Haruki mileage goal is beyond me. And my weight? Only two pounds below my starting point (screw-you Twizzelators). So that leaves me with the only one that really counts: my time.

From the start, I’ve known 4:20 was a stretch, but with the Marathon so close, that time feels like it could snap my Achilles faster than Brad Pitt’s acting in Troy. Speaking of pits, even thinking of Ottawa brings one to my stomach – and not because I’m craving some of Stephen Harper’s scary-eyed hotness.  Why, oh why did I have to put it out there? 4:40 would still have been a PR.

Logically, I know I’ve put in the training and I’m faster than ever. But like a barrel at Niagara Falls, going faster could just be a prelude to a crash on the rocks below. And yes, I did the long runs,  but they HURT! My longest run was 36K – but short of being dragged by a passing car, I cannot imagine powering through that last 6.2K. I mean, a sloth hopped up on coffee is still a sloth, right? We’re talking physical limitations here!

But I guess testing limitations is what this has all been about. I knew that languishing at the back and lunging for the front called for different mindsets when I started this. Had I named my blog, From Lounger to Lard-ass it might be forgivable for me to quit about now.

Bugger.

Next year, I’m taking up a good sedentary euro-sport. Look out darts-world, I’m coming!

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P.S The ultimate marathon medley is almost complete. Thanks so much for the suggestions – I’ll post it soon.

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