After completing a marathon for the very first time, a runner may feel that they are the best athlete of all time.  Every step, every breath, and the form of each stride has a purpose.  The tantalizing sensation of every nerve coming off each muscle, such horrific pain those last few miles it seems like a miracle to be able to move on race pace.  Debating whether the muscles are ripping from bone, speeding up and closing in on the finish, whilst looking fiercely into the horizon.  In the moment that a medal is placed around your neck, the pain is overtaken with a blissful numb coming down from excruciation after running an entire twenty-six-point-two miles.

Am I dramatic?! Well, perhaps. It is so tempting to try to run an even bigger distance or turn into an ironman triathlete after doing some marathons, but there is something special about being proficient in one thing. I think that I really found my groove with the marathon distance. After years of practice, I can finally speed up twenty miles in with negative split times. My coach always tells me I am going to do my dream marathon time, and I am going to reach it with negative splits. My endurance is so much better at 26 than it was at 18, and I just know my body can run that extra time faster which I literally thought was impossible back in the day. You want to run it fast fast fast, at a young age, but marathoner’s are like a fine red wine and become richer with age for sure. One of the coolest feelings as an athlete, is finally filling in a gap that once seemed impossible. For me that gap has been both times and distances, once gaps are filled there is always still room for growth. Sometimes, a huge accomplishment can be running slow or shorter distances too. Running is full of surprises.

This round of training, I am really going to try and vlog more often than I typically have through the years. Hopefully, being more adamant and committed to the vlog portion, will help me take all of my readers/followers by the hand to my race weekends the next couple years. Sometimes, it is hard to vlog and run at the same time, but I will totally find the balance and make this a better thing. To be social, I am looking to throw several interviews on my blog. This year was funny for me with virtual races and my back surgery putting me out for a few months, now that I get to ‘be me again’ my content will come alive. This girl is coming back to life so to speak. Everyone lather on the sunblock for some sweet summer running.