Oh, we're halfway there...

For this post, we open with a picture. C'mon.... it's hot. Oh, I guess you should know that my shirt is a far lighter shade of grey, but I got rained on and sweat ungodly amounts for over an hour after the rain stopped. Hot, right?

Well, that's what you get when you complete 14 MILES! That's right, my friends, I completed a run that was more than half the length of the ultimate goal.

So this achievement has incited two opposing feelings in me. Let's review.

1) Holy shit, I just ran 14 miles. AND I did it in a decent time (10:38 mile). I can't help but rewind a few years ago... hell, a few MONTHS ago, when I never thought I could run 5 miles, let alone doubling or tripling that. I feel empowered that my training is paying off, and I am surprising myself every week.

2) Holy shit, I just ran 14 miles. On game day, I'd still have TWELVE MORE TO GO. Who's cockamamie idea was this? I mean I felt pretty good at the end of 14 (despite the image my sweat logged clothes portray), but by the time I rounded out the 14th, I was tired. 12 more? You're nuts. Seriously.

But... positivity, my friends. At the end of my first 10 miler I felt like I wanted to die. The next week I did 12, and felt okay at the 10 mile mark, but was tired by twelve. This week, I was okay at twelve but tired at 14. Methinks I see a pattern here.

I was also pretty lucky last week, as my sister-in-law hit the road with me for a few runs. And don't let her tell you any different, she kept up and she was outstanding. And ye olde big brother also spent some time jogging on the Lakefront path. Of course, the three of us would need to run back to Connecticut to make up for what we ate and drank over the last week... but hell, ya gotta live a little.

But now the fun is done, and I'm closing in on 2 months until race day. I have taken my training very seriously thus far, but in the last two months, I'm going to kick it up and be faithful with all my cross training on non-run days, keep a good healthy diet, increase my water intake, and keep preparing for this monstrosity of a goal I've set for myself. Thanks for all the love and encouragement... know that your kind words and support keeps me putting one foot in front of the other.

61:8:3:58.