Countdown

48 hours from now I hope to have successfully completed the Portland Marathon. My stomach ties itself into knots just thinking about it. The last few weeks have been pretty anti-climatic training-wise as my miles have tapered off and my attention has shifted to school.

What worries me:
- I've been feeling a little creaky when running the last week or so. My left Achillies tendon has been really tight, to the point where I can't walk down stairs first thing in the morning without hobbling.
- I never did lose the 10-15 pounds that I wanted to lose.
- I didn't do all of the speedwork that I was supposed to do.

What gives me confidence:
- I did almost all of the recommended mileage, up to 55 miles a week on my longest weeks, of my plan. This is much more than I've ever run before, and I did it all fairly comfortably.
- I ran 12 miles on Sunday just the slightest bit slower than race pace without even pushing myself; that's just what felt comfortable.

So, I have one more jog around the block tomorrow morning, and then it's off to Portland. My sister and her boyfriend are coming with us, so I'll have my own little cheering section. Runners will also have their names on their bibs, so I might have some stranger support as well. Supporters rock. It should be a blast!

Good luck to everyone else running races this weekend!