MM-It is the training not the race

I started to get anxious about the race as it gets closer. It is still 6 weeks away but it is relatively close since I have been training for 5 months. As the anxiety was setting in, I realized it was silly to feel this way about the race. The training for this race has been my true journey. I have gained and learned so much from this that the race will just be a fun celebration for all of my hard work.
I remember sitting on the computer this winter while Morgan was watching some show and I saw something about the NYC marathon. I clicked on it and decided to sign up. I knew there was no chance that I would get selected. I knew you had to qualify or you could run for charity or possibly get selected through the lottery. I thought the chances for me to get selected were slim to none so I signed up.
I would say signing up was stepping out of my comfort zone but I never thought I would get selected when signing up so that really wasn't stepping out.
Then there was the day that I got the email saying I was selected. I was excited but angry too. I was excited at the thought of running this marathon and the opportunity but I was angry because now I had to work and I knew there was  a lot of work ahead of me. That was the day I decided to step outside of my comfort zone.
I have truly challenged myself on a daily basis, whether it be making the choice and the sacrifice to fit a run in no matter what or increasing my runs one mile at a time.
Before this training, I was running a few miles here or there and I had never run more than 13 ever and I felt that was the hardest thing in the world. Now I can regularly run 20 miles for a long run and feel amazing at the end of it. The first time was rough but every time gets easier and easier and I feel better and better.
As the race gets closer, part of me feels like I have already won form all of gains and experiences in my training. The other part of me is determined to surpass all of my goals because I now know I can and I have had such a great experience training. It is great to have something to train and it is great to celebrate that training with a race! I will hold on to these last 6 weeks of training and I can't wait for this race!

Nina Pears