It’s been a while since I’ve done a marathon training update and with only one week left until race day, I thought it’s now or never.😀

A 45 minute run this morning along the ocean with the soundtrack of Dear Evan Hansen (I’m obsessed with this soundtrack) playing in my ears was pretty close to perfection. Not every run this marathon training cycle has even come close to perfect. There were mornings my legs felt heavy and every step took effort, some days I had to play games in my head to get me through my weekly long run of 2 or 3 hours and as the darkness has stayed longer and longer into the early mornings it has become increasingly harder to get out of bed at 5:30 or 6:00 AM to go for a  run. I am not a fan of running in the early morning darkness. I never thought having to drive my teen to carpool pick up every morning at 6:45 would be a blessing but it’s a great way to get my run going by 7 am each day!There are those mornings I felt like I could run forever being lulled into a running rhythm by the voices narrating one of the many podcasts that I listened to or discovering new music on Spotify as my legs and feet felt light and airy. It’s those moments that have kept me motivated to train for this years NYC marathon. It’s in those moments (and some weeks they are rare) that I feel youthful, strong, inspired and empowered and I hope come November 4th I am able to have a few of those “perfect” moments to help me get to the finish line in Central Park. I “officially” started training for the NYC marathon on June 17 but really I decided a year ago to do this. It was a Sunday morning – November 5, to be exact – I had just poured a second cup of coffee, plopped myself down on the sofa, turned on the tv and the NYC marathon was on. I hadn’t known the marathon was being run, it had been years since I had followed running but there I was with my 15-year-old son watching with me and we were hooked. Shalane Flanagan, an American had just broken away from the crowd – it had been 40 years since an American woman had won and we couldn’t stop watching. She was so inspiring as she crossed the finish line and then they started showing the crowds of people running and the memories flooded back. Seriously the New York City marathon is such a special race! I ran here 25 years ago with a man that would become my future father in law.  It was after that marathon he set up my husband and I on both of our first and only blind date and the rest is history. ❤️

So here we are 10 days away from race day. I am beyond excited. Someone asked me today if I am ready. I’ve followed an amazing 20-week heart rate training program which was game changing on how I approaching running and most importantly kept me injury free. I have had the knowledge of working with a coach and the support of other women on the same training program. I have done all the strength and stretching workouts. I have become strangely addicted to foam rolling.  I am somehow getting almost 8 hours of sleep every night – yes, 9:30 is early to go to bed but sleep is so important. And I have learned the importance of dialing into my nutrition and carb loading is not a free ticket to eat donuts, cookies, and bagels.😉So with the exception of having no practice running in the rain – I live in Southern California where rain is rare – and rain is in the long-range forecast for race day I am about as ready as I can be. 🙂I do have some GOALS and maybe sharing them will keep me accountable:

1. To start out the race slowly. I want to have the last 13.1 miles be faster than the first 13.1 . . . negative splits.
2. To keep the positive mantras in my head as I run. No self-doubt.
3. No walking – slow shuffling is allowed but I know myself and it’s harder for me to start up again once I start walking.
4. Run my race . . . this is just about me. I’m not going to worrying about how those around me are running. I’m going to stick to my race plan!
5. I have a time goal BUT I am keeping that to me for now. 🙂I am running this years marathon for Grassroot Soccer, an amazing organization that uses the universal appeal of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize adolescents in developing countries to overcome their greatest health challenges, live healthier, more productive lives, and be agents for change in their communities. A BIG THANK YOU to all that helped me reach my fundraising goal of $3000  – 100 more teens will be able to participate and go through Grassroot Soccer’s programs. And you can still donate if you like and it will be so appreciated – just click here to learn more and make a donation: https://impact.grassrootsoccer.org/fundraiser/1454421

So all the hard work is done. It’s taper week – time for some easy runs, healthy eating, lots of sleep and letting the body recover so come race day I’ll have fresh legs and a strong urge to run – at least that’s what I am hoping for. 🙂

Thanks for all the support all the way! You can follow my running journey including race day over on Instagram and Insta stories