training: week 14

<---- me and my pace group

so, i'm just going to skip week 13 and go straight to our week 14: 18 mile run. i had my 5 packets of gu power gel, my camelbak filled with water and an anxiety filled sleepless night. i was not looking forward to this run since my 16 mile run literally kicked my ass to the curb. i was pretty much out of commission 2 days afterwards. i was lying in bed trying to come up with excuses why i couldn't go to the run site. the week before the bay bridge was closed down for labor day weekend construction. i couldn't use that excuse.

since, i couldn't find any excuses; there i was up at 5:30 in the morning, making a half peanut butter sandwich and eating a banana, washing it all down with fruit punch gatorade. you don't want to dehydrate, it's the worse cramping you can ever get in your life, next to menstrual cramps.

i got into the car around 6:15 a.m., on my way to san francisco, trying not to psyche myself out. i knew i could do this, i had already run 16 miles, i'd done my maintenance runs for the week and i drank lots of water all week. technically i should be fine.

the 18 miler is the point which tells; if you can do this, you can do 26.2. in theory. it's only 8 more well 8.2 more miles to go. the first 3 miles are always the worse, i have to get warmed up, i've already started running so i can't go back now and really it's just one foot in front of the other. and thank it happens and you see past the trees and around the bin there it is, your salvation. the 18 mile marker. we were so excited to be done my pace partner gabrielle and i sprinted in - really we did.

the taste of a bagel and cream cheese after an 18 mile run is ohhh...so sweet and delicious. food never tasted so great - since all i had eaten for the last 5 hours were gu's, pretzels and water. it was so great to be finished we took a dip in the ocean at ocean beach to cool of our swelling calves, knees and thighs.

it was great to get home and pass out in my bed for a 2 hour nap. thank god for pillows. so, tell me again why am i running this marathon...oh yeah, it's for a good cause!

i want to thank this weeks heroe and for her wonderful and charitable donations. i can never thank you guys enough. thanks Erica Selsted, you're a champion in my book.

fundraising update:
today's total as of date 09/12/07 - $2340.00
my goal - $4200.00
$1860.00 - from goal