All the things I’ve been talking about in my blog up until now converge these few days before the Eugene Marathon. I’m now in the home stretch leading up to race day, and as I prepare for the actual “event,” I reflect on the past 6 months of training:

How you do anything is how you do everything: I commit to a goal, I stay focused, I am disciplined, I manage my time, and I persist until I succeed.

You can’t do it alone: Rarely does anyone achieve any meaningful success on their own. Coach Scott has worked with me for the past 6 months helping me get stronger both physically and mentally. My husband, who often asks, “Can’t we just go on a vacation without having to run a race?” has hung out with me on my long runs setting water along the path so I didn’t have to carry a waterbelt. My kids and friends have listened to me talk about my track workouts, my tempo runs, and my long runs – even when some of them don’t know what the heck I’m talking about.

Everyday we’re tested: I’ve trained through a cold and snowy Idaho winter – one of the coldest in a long time (I hear). I thought training in Idaho would be a piece of cake compared to training in Chicago during the winter. Idaho was no bargain. Cold, snow, ice, rain, wind. I probably ran only half a dozen runs… in shorts since November. It was 31 degrees this morning! The elements tested me all season – would I skip a workout? would I quit? Nope. I passed those tests.

I was also tested mentally. Other than a few workouts that I ran in Chicago with a friend, I ran by myself. I enjoy running solo, but it can be a challenge when you’re trying to run fast and the only one there to push you and hold you accountable is yourself. I hit most of my target times on the track, in tempos, and in the long runs. I passed that test.

Negative thoughts weaken us: Like everyone, I had my weak moments. Moments when doubt creeped in. Can I do this? I had a bad workout. Why am I doing this? What if…? Fortunately, these moments were fleeting. I keep a sign in my office that says, “What’s the opportunity in this?” And I’m reminded that when things don’t appear to be going right, there must be some opportunity to learn something from the experience. What am I supposed to learn from this experience?

Doubt can totally throw you off track – it can derail your focus. Wayne Dyer says, “Banish all doubt and abundance will flourish and anything is possible.” That is a hard thing to do, but it has become my mantra – in training and in life. If you say it enough, it gets into your head and you start to think that way.

I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to everyone who has helped me along the way – not just in the past 6 months or 6 years – but for the past 48 years. I have never felt alone.

I’m in a different place in my running now than I was even 6 months ago. I have loved running and training along the Boise River. I’ve focused on individual runs without obsessing about the long-term goal. My runs have been challenging, fun, and enlightening.

Whatever happens on race day, I’m detached from the outcome. I’m going to get up Sunday morning and run the race I’m meant to run.