I’m down to my last run tomorrow before a two day break, and then an easy run Saturday before the marathon on Sunday. The weather looks like it will be okay, and I will survive this cold that I had. The doctor hooked me up with some antibiotics and flonase for my sinus infection. Its funny how I always get these sinus infections right around race-day or slightly thereafter (remember Steamtown, and Allentown, then the diamond run?) ..

Anyway, 4 easy miles tomorrow, probably at the gym because its too cold (but we’ll see). I did get out this morning outside for my 4 miler, it felt good. The legs are feeling rested now, and as this cold gets better, it can only get better from here.

Its weird, but i’ve been having strange pre-marathon dreams at night … the other night I dreamed that I was late for the start of the marathon. I couldn’t find the start and didn’t know what to do … then last night, I had a dream that kids I graduated from high school with were running in it, and that I got side-tracked during the race and couldn’t get my way back on the course. I then dreamed it took me 6+ hours to finish … ACK! I think its just my mind playing games with me, i think everything will be okay.

So I reflect back here through the blog over the last 4 months, and some of the struggles I have gone through between the dual back issues, then the weather, and the job change, etc. Its going to feel good to be at the starting line, because I worked hard for it. I didn’t train as hard, and as long as I would have liked to, but I had to heal myself properly so that I can be there. How about the one weekend where my motto was, “if I can’t get through this weekend of long running without back pain, the marathons off”. I think that was the defining moment that i knew I had to start getting serious with training. I stepped up to the plate and did it. How about the early morning’s at the YMCA, they sucked. What about the first 20 miler I did, AFTER THE SNOWSTORM … man, that sucked too, but I did it, snow banks and all.

These stories aren’t about the marathon itself, because to be honest, the marathon comes and goes so fast. Its all about the training, and the experiences during training that make me a stronger person. The marathon now is the easy part … I have a nice weekend planned, hopefully the weather will hold up. The excitement is building ….