Endurance For Hope                             

I ran 7 miles this evening.  I felt good and had a decent time.  It was really cold.  I think my training shoes have just about had it.  I got a blister on my left foot that finally busted today and I think it is because my shoes are wearing out.  They have been good ones.  I will probably finish the last two weeks of my training in them before I retire them thou.  I am only running every other day now until the marathon weekend starts.  We leave for Florida a week from tomorrow.

I ran yesterday I just didn't get a chance to get on the computer.  I ran 6 miles but I think I have a little bit of the stomach flu.  I still finished the run but my time was 3 minutes off.  I hope I feel better by Saturday.  My knee is bruised and still swollen from the boat incident but it doesn't hurt to bad.  Looks like it is going to be a wet and rainy Christmas for us in Tennessee.  This morning the weather man said we could get as much as 3 inches tonight and tomorrow.  I will run 4 miles tomorrow and 14 on Saturday. 

For December today was very nice.  The temperature got up to 50 degrees with little wind.  I ran 8 miles after work but I had a little trouble with my right knee.  I was getting a fishing boat ready today for a park visitor and one of the boats that was propped up on another boat fell and hit me on the right knee.  I think I will be fine but I did get a scrape above the knee and tonight it has swollen a little but it doesn't hurt very much.  I will probably be bruised for a week or two but I should be fine for the marathon.

It turned out to be a nice day today.  All of the snow or most of the snow I should say has melted.  I hope the nice weather continues a few days.  I ran 6 miles after work today.  I am looking forward to not having to run 5 days a week.  The marathon is in less than 3 weeks now.  We all are getting excited about the trip.  I have to go make dinner now but I will post something tomorrow.

I was pleased to see no snow on the ground when I got out of bed this morning.  The weather is still cold but at least I didn't have to deal with slushy roads while I ran this morning.  I ran 12 miles and I am feeling good.  I know I am ready for the half marathon.  I don't run tomorrow but will run 6 miles on Monday.

I had to run in the rain today.  It didn't let up much the whole time I was running and I did see some snow flakes at one point.  I think it is suppose to snow tonight and tomorrow here.  I ran 5 miles and had a good time but I couldn't feel my extremeties when I finished.  I was numb wet and cold but I did get in 5 miles.  A shower warmed me right up.  Chad has reserved a 15 passenger van for the trip.  Hopefully everyone and there luggage will fit in the van so we want have to drive 2 vehicles but we will see.  I am getting more and more excited everyday.  I will run 12 miles tomorrow hopefully not in the snow.

I ran 6 miles this morning and I still feel really good.  I am surprised how good I do feel considering running 22 miles on Saturday.  The last time I trained I was very slow after running 22 miles but this time I have actually bettered my time in each of my last 3 runs.  I hope this trend continues on to the marathon.  I am hoping to beat my time from the last marathon I ran but I would really like to finish is 3 hours and 30 minutes or less.  That is my goal and it will be hard to accomplish. 

Well the warm weather didn't last very long.  I think they are calling for snow on Saturday.  I would rather it didn't snow but that probably means it will snow.  I ran 7 miles after work today and I am still feeling good.  I was really not looking forward to running today because the temperature dropped quite a bit from this morning.  It was cold but I made myself run anyway.  I am getting excited about the marathon now but I just wish it would get here already.  Scarlett told me today that running was taking up too much of my time and I had to agree with her (It was cold outside).  But it is for a good cause and I am committed to the training.  I think if I wasn't training she would have told me that I needed a hobby and needed to get out of the house more.  I have found during our 9 year marriage that there is always something to fuss about no matter how hard you try not to fuss.  The harder you try the more there is to fuss about.  But in the end we still love each other.  That is what marriage is about.  No one knows my faults more than Scarlett and that is the way I would like to keep it.

This weather is hard to figure out.  It was 60 degrees today after being 32 just last week.  I guess I'll have to live with that.  Anyway I ran 5 miles after work and I feel really good today considering running a long run on Saturday.  It is hard to believe how far I have come this year.  I think I may be in a little better shape this go around than last.  We will see in 4 weeks I guess.