65 miles and counting this week..

85 miles in eight days, actually. I should have cleared my odometer at the start of the week, because I'm pretty sure I didn't drive 85 miles in the past eight days. But I ran them. And I feel good. It's cumulative - the more I run, the better the running goes. I love marathon cramming.

The marathon is in a mere three weeks. Oh boy. This blog is being written on my work lunch break as a means to keep me from heading down to the beach to sneak in another four miles on the beach at noon. Too sunny! Don't want to look like a catcher's mitt at 40! All of my best marathons have had a big week 3 or 4 weeks out. I need it this time more than ever, since I procrastinated in the training department. I haven't run a marathon in over a year. Since I started racing (first one was Dec 2005) there have been a few per year. I love ticking off the miles, doing the math, calculating calories and water and projecting my finish time.. This is going to be fun. I don't care if the sub-3 is unlikely based on my fitness - we're going out at 6:50 pace and  I am going to hold on as long as I can, because you never know if you don't try. I've run 3:12 at least four times now. I've run 3:04 at Boston. Katherine's done the same. If it's over 3:00, I don't really care if it's 3:12 or 3:40 at this point. This is simply a do it or don't shot at a sub-3 marathon.

It's full on planning mode now. Hotels are booked, we're deciding on shows and restaurants, and most importantly, the clothes have been selected. We're not just going to be twins, we're going to be triplets. No, we didn't convince Stacky to wear pink lululemon reflector shorts. We have a blogger-ringer coming in to run it with us. A fast-running blonde. We have matching outfits for all, right down to the zoot Kona edition compression socks and Target-sock ghetto arm warmers. We might blow up and walk the last 10 miles, but at least we'll look awesomely ridiculous doing it.