ONE MONTH to go!

I can hardly believe it...just one month to go til the big day!

This morning I ran 14 miles with Dan and John...it is a "taper down" week before building up to our big 20-mile run next weekend. We took it a bit easier than usual (Dan is also battling some issues....his are with his Achilles tendon in his left foot).

I feel decent...not nearly as awful as I felt last Saturday afternoon after the 18-mile run. After the adrenaline wore off last Saturday my knee hurt really badly.

I went to see David McClure at the Sports Enhancement Center on Tuesday and Friday this week and he helped me out a ton...he's a really nice, really great guy. He had some good suggestions...and gave me some steroid therapy (pics in previous post!) on Friday that seemed to really help. I am hopeful!

Nate, also at the Sports Enhancement Center, also suggested some new shoes...Asics Nimbus...I bought them Wednesday and then tried them out for 6.75 on the treadmill at the gym. They were expensive ;), but felt great. I wore them today on the 14 mile run and had no issues with the fit or feel of them...which was wonderful.

So between rest (I did NOTHING Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week...YOWZA!), ice, Motrin, new shoes, steroids, David, Nate, and a band worn above my knee during today's run (per another trainer at SEC's suggestion)....I am doing better.

No way am I giving up, no way, no how! I am far too excited about this...and have been training for far too long! Basically all year, really! I got really serious about the IL half marathon back in February, ran the half in April, and then registered for Chicago shortly thereafter. So, this has really been a February-October deal! We're going on 7.5 months right now of training.

It's frustrating, honestly....cardio-vascuarly I feel AWESOME. I feel like I could run and run and run and run forever. I haven't even been really winded at the end of all of our long runs (aside from last week, when I finished the last mile of 18 miles in 7:20ish....yeah, that's a story for another time). The endurance issue is with my joints (particularly my knees!)...which is so frustrating! I wish I could whip those puppies into shape and make them more durable ;).

I couldn't sleep last night...I tossed and turned all night. I was really worried about my knees, particularly the right one that has given me issues since last Saturday's 18-miler. I feel ok right now (probably still floating on that runners' high a bit! ;))....but I have a feeling I am going to hit a wall and just CRASH later on today.

P.S. a little lofty ;), but in the back of my mind is the 3:40:59 Boston qualifying time requirement....I mean, if you double my half marathon time you get something around 3 hours and 54 minutes....and I am in much better shape (if my knee cooperates, of course ;)) right now than I was before the half marathon....is it realistic to shoot for? Not sure. Now that it's in my head, it's gonna be hard to forget about it ;). However, I am gonna do my best to push it back and "forget" about it and focus on.....1) Staying healthy.....2) FINISHING....and 3) finishing in under 4 hours.....

Here's to running....and staying strong and healthy!