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Race Week

Race week has arrived. This weekend I'll be crossing the line to run my 4th straight Chicago Marathon. Training this year has been mixed -- sometimes I've felt really strong, other times not so much. One thing is for sure though...it has been quite tiring.

With the race coming up, I keep finding myself thinking back on the last three years or running.

The first one I did all alone, just to do it. I had always wondered if I could, and I decided to go for it. I remember how nervous I was looking at the Chicago skyline while riding in the back of Mo and Trapper's car with Nora next to me on the morning of the race. The race was tough, but so incredibly moving at the same time. I made it to the finish line and didn't think that I would ever do it again. Ha.

The second year I ran with Nora as she did her first marathon. This was while Nora was still living in San Francisco, so we had been training independently of each other except for a few occassions when we were together on weekends. The day of the race, she was ready to go. It was great fun running with her and seeing her experience what I had experienced for the first time just the year before. At the end of the race, she turned on the afterburners and crossed the finish line ahead of me. Cheater. Just kidding babe. Love you!

Last year I ran with a whole group of friends which gave the race a whole new dynamic for me. Everyone had their own reasons for running, and though the weather wasn't that great for us on race day, everyone still managed to cross the finish line uninjured and succeed in meeting their goal. That was really awesome. I keep a copy of our post-finish group photo on my desk at my office. I love looking at that picture and seeing how happy everyone looks after accomplishing such a great thing.

Now it's the fourth year, and I'm running solo again -- well, except for the other 45,000 runners. This week is just about staying loose, resting, hydrating and getting in a good mental space to run on Sunday.

I'm thankful to all of my friends who have come out to cheer and support me in the past. No worries though -- you are all off the hook for this one! I also want to thank Nora for her undying support. In addition to the countless ways that you support me everyday, you've also been there with me for every one of these marathons...cheering and encouraging me, listening to me complain when training isn't going so well or running right alongside me. I can't thank you enough for that and for all that you do.