The 20 miler mental prep

As most of you know, I am running 20 miles on Saturday. This will be the longest distance that I will go before I run the marathon. This is a big deal. This is the big time. There is no turning back now.

My friend, The Happy Runner, asked me if I was "excited" for the 20 miler. Mmmmm. Interesting choice of words. I told her that I would not use the word "excited." Nope. Definitely not my first choice when I think about Saturday and 20 miles of running. I can think of many other words. 

Like, for instance,

• nervous
• scared
• freaked out
• worried

Those are just some of the words. There are other words that I would include - but they are not appropriate for this blog since they involve swearing.

I know this run is going to be tough. After all, my two 18 mile runs were not easy. They were tough both mentally and physically. I am fully prepared for this 20 miler to be hard. And I know it's going to take a long time. However, I guess I can tell you that I am excited in one sense of the word. I am excited for it to be over. I am excited to know that I can do it. And I am excited to start my taper (which will begin next week).

He looks scared.

So - I am going to take this 20 mile run and just go mile by mile. I am going to take it easy. I am going to trot along at a 10:30-10:45 pace. And if I have to go slower, then I will. I am going to run the mile I am in. I often tell myself that when I am running. "Just run the mile you are in." That's all I need to do. Mile by mile. Sometimes, I even tell myself to run the quarter mile I am in. And if I get really desperate, I run the tenth of a mile that I am in. Basically - just put one foot in front of the other.

I will get there eventually. Yes. I. Will.