Chicago Marathon: The Stages of Marathon Training

There are a lot of articles out there on the (mental) stages of marathon training: 
Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2. I find them eerily (and comically) accurate. :) 

I know the paranoia of "taper madness" is coming, but, for now, I'm in the "aww, yeah" happy taper phase, pretty much like this: 

This week has been amazing so far. Brandi and I had runs less than hour long both days, and, for the first time in a few months, we didn't have to add extra mileage beforehand. #10Tuesday was truly JUST a 10K! Hooray!

Oh, and I actually stayed up a little later last night to hang out with my husband!!! The things you can do when your alarm goes off at 4:35am instead of 3:55am! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

In so many ways, I think I've kind of forgotten this training cycle isn't over yet. I still have a marathon to run. This is the first time where I feel like I've already gotten what I want out of training, without even needing to race. I mean, of course I still want to do the marathon, and I'm still excited about it, but, really, I feel like what I wanted to accomplish is already accomplished.

For Flying Pig, my mantra was: "A marathon is hundred of miles. The finish is the last 26.2". I felt like everything I did was just building and building up to the finish line, and that my success or failure depended on that race. 

This time around, I've already succeeded. Chicago won't be the last push or the last hard thing to "get through". It'll be my victory lap. I've gotten stronger, faster, and, with the exception of one really sick day, I've CTSO-ed every single workout on my plan. I'm proud of what I've done this year. Really proud. 

I can't wait to enjoy relishing in that fact for a little over four hours with about 45,000 others who are all celebrating getting through their own training programs too. I'm ready. I'm SO ready to go run Chicago. 

I got my packet pick-up ticket in the mail today. While everyone else is starting to obsess over the weather forecast, travel plans and activities, what they're packing/wearing, and their goal times, I'm just kind of maintaining my status quo. I'm not getting hyped up. I'm still following my training schedule, even if it's less miles, and loving the idea of having more time to dedicate to other things in my life: my family, my work, my internationally competitive barbershop quartet and show chorus... 

While I still want that 4:30 (and believe I should be able to get it without any trouble), no matter what my finish time is next Sunday, I've already succeeded. I trained for a marathon before my baby turned one. I've kept my full-time professional job. I'm competing with two singing groups at the international level this month. I've gotten back to (and under) my pre-baby weight and fitness level.

I've done the impossible. :)