the few, the proud, the marathon runners of summer

that's what i told my coach today in an email. each weekend, my running partner and i see the same runners sweating it out logging long runs, working toward a marathon. we are out early, before the sun comes up, trying to avoid as much of the heat as possible. we are dripping with sweat. we stink. we are hot. we are tired. but we do it each week, earning a spot in a club few want to join. we are the ones who train for a marathon during the summer.

i am 5 weeks away from my 12th marathon. terri w., ginny d. and myself will be running 26.2 in tupelo on september 4. it will be early, hot and hilly. while running on these hot, humid mornings where the temperature is 80 at 5 a.m., and the heat index is pushing

90 some mornings, i wonder, why in the heck i am doing this. it's hard, and pretty much every morning i hate getting up at 4:30, but for some crazy reason i enjoy it. why? because i am a mileage junkie (sounds like there should be group therapy for this or something). training for this marathon over the summer has been tough, but it's bringing me to a new level of endurance. i am able to run 40 + mile a week and run it fairly well. it's teaching me how to train in tough conditions, while building mental strength and conditioning. i am pretty much running this crazy marathon partly to say i did it. to run one in the hottest months in the south and survive. the image to the right is the race logo. i hear it is ranked one of the top shirts and medals in the U.S., and i want one! you can't get one unless you finish though. and finish i will do!

i will be recovering this week after two weeks of some hefty mileage building. i have two more intensive weeks of training after the recovery week where i'll hit 46 and 50 miles respectively. i'm excited! i've never done 50 miles in one week that i know of, maybe 45. i told my coach that i'm either sick or ginny d! ginny won't mind me saying that cause she's a bigger mileage junkie than i am so it is meant as a compliment!

i really do hate the summer months for training, but we must keep going. but come september 4, i will be looking for my tie-dyed shirt, my skull and cross bones finisher medal and fall weather! one of those i might have to wait for a little bit longer.