Walk the Line

I will be the first to admit that I am hard on myself. I am my own worst critic. Perhaps this is why over the last two and a half weeks of not running I have started to question myself. I feel like my running could have gone smoother if I had taken care of my toe in October when the injury occurred, I wonder if I am buying the right shoes, if I'm eating enough or too much, and how it is possible that in just 6 weeks that I will be on the course running the craziest race of my life.

I have such amazing support and people who are behind me 100% of the way. I know that part of my emotions are due to my fear of failing. I am one of those people who completes everything I tackle and I am also a perfectionist. I have a hard time stepping back and just taking things in stride. But I am trying....

Yesterday, I decided to go to Marathon Sports on Boylston and buy a new pair of sneakers, the shoes I will be wearing to run the Marathon. Boylston Street is the last leg of the marathon and the store is right at the finish line of the marathon, across from the Boston Public Library. I took the bus over to the store. As the 39 bus turned down Boylston, I started wondering What am I so scared of? I will do the best I can and that is all I can ask. I also had a moment of calm knowing that when I run this road in a few weeks, there will be no cars, no buses, and no traffic. Just me, thousands of runners, thousands of screaming fans, and the jumbo tron.

When I got off the bus, I knew there was one more thing I had to do. I walked across the finish line. I looked at the faded paint, the BAA logo worn with the weather from over the last year and I smiled. I can't wait to see the finish line brightly painted. I can't wait to see the clock ticking down and I can't wait to run my first marathon.