I am discouraged

Everything piled in on me this morning and I was completely depressed. I got to physical therapy about 10 minutes late and that's something their schedule can't afford. Amy, the therapist, didn't ride my case though, I appreciated that. I told her my legs hurt, even just waking up in the morning. At one point, I described how discouraged I'm feeling lately. The legs, the lungs, the marathon, the work situation, all of it. She reminded me, in not so few words, to have patience.

I will be cancelling out of the marathon. After making that decision, a weight lifted from me, but that doesn't release me from my running obligations. I think I will go ahead and tackle the long training run this weekend, just to get out there, you know, and if I DNF, then I DNF. My goal, actually, is not 18 miles, but 14. I am running the Pheddipidations World Wide Half Marathon and the long training run happens to match up on the weekend needed. So why not go out and get in some kind of long run with water tables, Gatorade, and bagels and stuff after? I paid for it, I might as well take advantage of it. The only thing that would bother me is if I truly don't finish the race and I end up with a DNF on my record. (Yes, the long training run is run as a race, winners and everything, chips and all.) There's a four hour time limit. Given my race time last weekend, I think I could run the half-marathon distance and then, if I wish, walk the final five miles and still notch up the qualifier, so I'm not worried. And I might be lucky and my legs will show up and my lungs will cooperate....

No matter what, I am looking forward to the Staten Island Half. That will be my last race for the season, I think, and probably for the calendar year.

So... last actual run: Wednesday before PT appointment. 3.4 miles; not great, not bad. Minimal walking due to coughing, steady pace the rest of the time, even though my legs were in pain. Pain started to recede at the magical 3-mile point again. Predictable.

Here's a pic of me in the Grete's Great Gallop. Woof. Who's that sad-looking dog running in the rain? Actually, I don't look so bad. The girl behind me, who looks so miserable, is about how I was feeling. And you'll see in the finish line pic the woman in red that I outpaced at the end - I didn't realize she was that far behind me. :)