Still running strong

by Maria Torres

Well, I've almost finished with four weeks of training - I still have 9 miles to run this weekend - and am still as excited as ever! That's not to say there haven't been days where running is just about the last thing I want to do, but it's nice having a schedule I feel compelled to follow. Plus, Sooie has now come to expect her daily runs, and she starts biting me to let me know when it's time...thanks Sooie! She's a little drill sergeant!

Other things that have helped keep me motivated include: my TWO new running skorts (see Stacy's post below), a new running playlist on my Ipod with remixes from none other than DJ Stev, thunderstorms - I love running in the rain, and my goal not to miss a single run in the training program. If I skip a run, I just make up for it on an "off" day so I can stay on track. I feel pretty confident about the marathon at this point, and I think it will stay that way if I just follow the program.

This past month, I have been extremely careful to watch out for rocks on trails so I don't turn my ankle. I have extremely weak ankles, and have had problems with them my entire life. It seems that every time I start running seriously, I end up stepping on my ankle and having to stop running until it heals. My whole foot turns purple and my ankle swells to about 5 times its normal size. And then, once I start running again, I'll twist it. In the words of Franck from the movie Father of the Bride..."Lots of fun!" I would be so upset if something like that happened before the marathon, so I'm just being very cautious. Sometimes that means running slower than I really want to, but it's worth it until my ankle gets stronger.

I'll keep you posted with a post :) on how the 9 miles goes!