I'm gonna show you how great I am!!

8 days to go.  15 miles between me and my race.  I've trained my ass off.  Lifting twice a week, core classes twice a week, running between 40-50+ miles a week.......for 19 weeks.  Eating well, drinking insane amounts of water every day....I could totally kick Ivan Drago's ass right now.  Or at least run away from him very quickly.

Running the last few weekend training runs before a big race are always kind of weird to me.  As I run I feel like I'm doing it for the last time, almost like it's a farwell tour before going off to battle.  Sometimes I actually imagine the people I pass in the park or in the subdivision know this is "it" and they are subconciously saying "good luck" as I pass.  In a way it is a farwell tour, but I'm the one saying Thank You. Thank you to the trees, sun and ruver that greet me each morning and afternoon and remind me how lucky I am to train in this area. Thank You to the people I pass that smile and say "Good morning".  Thank you to the fat ass people in their cars that almost hit me because they're too lazy to take their eyes off that delicious McDonalds Egg McMuffin and pay attention to the road.....thanks for reminding me that I'm in control of my health.  Thank you all for your part in motivating me to do something special.  I WILL do this, I WILL give it my all.  I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I HAVE CONQUERED THIS RACE!!  WHO AM I?  I AM A CHAMPION!!!!!!

woa.....where did that come from.....some residual testosterone from this morning......sorry..

As I ran I though about the various motivational phrases and pictures I'd seen recently and how I'd need to remember each one, place it in my mental arsenal ready to be used throughout the various challenges of the 26.2 miles ahead.  I thought about how much I wanted to make a video when this is all done with.  A badass, motivating, gut punching, tear jerking montage that tries (but never fully can) to embrace what it feels like to be a runner.  We'll see if I ever get to this.......stay tuned. Could be something I do today, or a year from now. 

However while I was poking around the endless abyss that is YouTube, I found some really great stuff. I'm going to post the links below because I think I'm gonna want them for this weekend. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7I7iasuIdw&feature=pyv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeYXeoYXZwY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAqs_RKwfg8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFRo9UTj9Hc


I've been interrupted and now I'm trying to watch college basketball..........done.