So Far, So Good

I am an extremely positive, happy, passionate person.  I guess I've had just enough experiences in my life to make me realize that every single day is a gift, that you can find the good in a bad day if you look hard enough, because life's too short be negative.  It's why I always I wear my heart on my sleeve, all the time.  I've experienced times when I wish I'd said or done something, only to find that it was too late.  I'll never let that happen again.  I'll never feel love and not share it, or feel gratitude and not express it.  I won't stop setting lofty goals with plans to reach them.  No regrets.  Not this girl.

Knowing this about myself, I was absolutely taken aback in April when I struggled so intensely with the emotion of running the Boston Marathon.  Instead of carb-loading, I was losing weight.  I was terrified, doubt filled my mind, and I had little control over any of it.  I think it made the post-marathon blues everyone talks about that much worse when it was all over. Given that, it seems crazy that I'm four days away from my second marathon, only six months later, but I guess that's just who I am.

And, what a difference six months makes.  A friend commented on how much I'm smiling, and how much energy and excitement surrounds me right now, and it struck me how drastically different I feel this time around.  It got me thinking about why.  I'm sure there are simple reasons, like that fact that I am able to run right now, when I hadn't run for three weeks when it came time for Boston.  Deep down, though, I know it's more than that.  I've made some pretty strong, powerful connections with some remarkable people this time around, people that I've only just met on this journey, yet seem like friends I've had my whole life.  They've injected a spirit into this experience that has helped me continue to be positive and focused so close to the big day.

Four days out, keeping it strong, positive, and fun!