In the time leading up to a marathon...

A series of questions rush around your head:
-Can I really go that far?
-Can I really run at my desired pace, for 26.2 miles, even if I've never been able to do it in practice?
-I couldn't even do 20 miles at that pace, will it really happen?

And somehow, on Marathon Day, it comes together.  The body knows what to do, even if it has never been put to that specific test before.  All of the types of training link up in perfect union and harmony, and we take off, stringing each mile together at that pace.  And in the 3-4 months of preparation, things didn't gel quite like that, but on the big day, it did.

I need to remind myself of that.  And remember that sometimes I may be my own worst enemy.

And with just over 2 weeks out from my comps and with all of my books done, I am now studying.  And there are some days when I can spout out quite a lot on late medieval devotion.  And there are other days when after a few sentences...it seems like there isn't much left.

I just need to remind myself that:
- Every study day is not perfect
- It is all about the culmination of preparation
- It may not happen in practice, but I can pull it together on that big day.

I even did some reading about Kara Goucher.  Absolutely phenomenal world-class runner, but struggles with self-doubt and "negative chatter."  And look what she has managed to accomplished once she's knocked out the doubting voice - her own.

Just over 2 weeks until the big day, and I just need to remember that I knocked off 9 minutes in Boston, ran a 3:27 after much adversity, and I will do the same very soon with these exams.