I Am Ready

First, I am resisting the urge to explain why it has been almost a month since I blogged last.  The important thing is...

I finished my last training run for my half marathon race this Saturday.  Three miles, slow and steady imitating how I plan to run the first three of 13.1 miles this weekend. 

It seemed hard to start, I started to get frustrated, I made myself take it slow and then speed it up a little to prevent going too, too easy.  And then I realized I was starting to feel good, to feel like I was on a nice morning run.  I looked down at my Garmin and I had hit 2.2 miles;  the magic mile had begun. 

The first one to two miles is always the worst, and then comes that time in a run when I suddenly get comfortable and know I can go on for a while.  It's glorious when I hit it and have a long way to go, it's a little harder if I have a short run to do and feel like it's over just as soon as it became enjoyable. 

Today, it was a sweet spot and that last 0.8 of a mile gave me time to remember why I'm doing this race and why I know I'll finish. 

• I have trained for over 15 weeks, including one 12-mile run and one 13.1 run (because I wanted to know I could finish, even if I was slow.)
• I did not quit training when life became more stressful than last year.
• I am strong.
• It's a beautiful neighborhood to run in.
• Slow and steady will win finish the race.

And so, my answer to those that have begun asking me if I'm ready?

Yes, I am ready.  

Saturday I will run my second half marathon race.  It won't be my fastest race, and there's a good chance it could get hard towards the end, but I will finish it.  

And I will enjoy being out there living my new ending in life, completing things I never dreamed possible before I began this weight loss journey.