Boston Marathon 2017
Just a few days until my first Boston Marathon!
Yes, my first. OK, so I actually did qualify in my first marathon and in every marathon since. If I am being honest I have always respected the Boston goal and planned to run someday, but it didn't seem like a priority; I know it's a crappy thing to admit. I took it for granted that I could run Boston whenever I put my mind to it. But after the lululemon Ambassador Summit last year, I realized just how much Boston legitimizes you as a marathoner. I hadn't run Boston and didn't have the boastful nature to say, "but I ran in two Olympic Trial marathons!" Rather than struggle with the need for validation while maintaining my humility, I decided 2017 was the year to run. Besides, I am not getting any younger ;)
This is the first marathon I have run in over a decade that isn't a pressure cooker. In the last 10 years, there was always the desire to qualify for the Olympic Trials, to run my best, run with the big girls, the elites, the pros; I wanted to secure more sponsors, see what I am made of, run a new PR. And for the majority of the races, I skated on the edge of injury and/or overtraining. Some races were good, most were disappointing in one way or another. Even if the race was OK, it felt like a let down if a big goal was not reached. Other times the race was devastating, obliterating years of hard work and sliding me back to square one.
This time I am trained really well. I am fit and strong and my workouts have been spot on. Injuries are not a concern and have mostly stayed at bay for the training block. Best of all, I have had fun with the training! Imagine that, enjoying the process :) It may not seem like a big deal but honestly I think it has been awhile since I can say that I truly enjoyed running this much.
I will be starting with the masses and carrying my own nutrition. I have a great opportunity with Lululemon in Boston- which I will have to blog about later!- but I am looking forward to the community, camaraderie, and energy of this historic race. This one is just for fun (in my own competitive way) and I am looking forward to enjoying the miles as much as I enjoyed the weeks leading up to the big day! 💙💛💙💛
