This week is all about survival from taper crazies. I think the week leading up to a marathon is a bit rough. I mean, I love relaxing and eating but the mental anxiety is at an all time high.

Luckily I’m slammed at work this week, that helps the hours or 8-5 fly by but the evenings are becoming consumed with worry and I’m taking it out on my foam roller and nalgene. Falling asleep hasn’t been too awful yet, but I have a feeling the next few nights it will get tougher. I’ve been watching Mad Men on the iPad in bed every night to keep myself distracted.

I just did the last load of laundry containing must have weekend items. Tomorrow I’m going to pull together all my stuff, make sure my camera is charged and all that jazz. I still need to do a little grocery shopping for the trip so I have my trusty snacks and breakfast items.

The weather is stressing me out – par for the course I’m sure with all marathoners. First the temperature wouldn’t stop creeping up. Now it’s falling and the addition of ‘showers’ has been added. As long as it’s not snowing and not above 80 degrees I think I’ll survive though.

I’ve already emailed family members with all the details on where to park, where to go to try to see me. I’ve emailed Molly a hundred times figuring out our logistics (she’s meeting me at mile 14) and expressing my constant swings from excited to scared shitless. Christie and I are freaking out like all good running buddies should do together.

Sounds crazy and stressful and exciting… and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ll never get a ‘first marathon’ experience again. And I’m still firmly in the camp 1 & DONE (for the foreseeable future). So I’m just taking it all in and enjoying the full crazy marathon experience thus far.

How do you deal with stressful weeks?

Oh, and I have a winner of my Everyday Endurance contest.

JERI!!!

Seriously, I swear this isn’t rigged. Jeri also won a RUN hoodie from me last week. Jeri, I better be your favorite blog EVER! I’ll put the Everyday Endurance folks in touch with you!

I know, I know. I’ve been talking about running/marathon-ing A LOT lately. Like, that’s pretty much been it. It’s true, it’s sort of consuming my every thought and spare moment. It’s sort of like being back in the few weeks before my wedding, or right before Miles was born, or a big work conference.

It’s sort of been like this…

And I realize some of my readers might have peaced out. Not everyone is a running lover like me. That’s cool. Sorry buddies.

So, I have been up to other things besides running and thinking about running.

I’ve been hanging out with these crazy characters.

I’ve been watching a lot of good TV! I’m loving Parks & Rec (of course), Revenge and Dexter!

I got my hairs cut. And my eyebrows waxed (thank God!).

I’ve been cooking a lot, and am planning a big win at our chili cook-off this Saturday! Yes, there is a trophy involved.

So, I’ll try to tone down my running obsession posts post marathon. So just hang tight a bit longer friends.

What have YOU been up to lately? And if you are runner, what have you been up to BESIDES running? And no comments allowed about that’s all you’ve been doing. I know you must do SOMETHING else.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow. I’ve got 2 really cool things to share! 1 of them might be another cool giveaway too!

I love my first born baby boy. He’s sweet and funny and quite a handful at times. He’s just perfect.

However, my second baby is almost here. The marathon.

Having been pregnant with a baby, growing it inside me and laboring it out was a pretty crazy and life changing experience.

This marathon training has been no different. It has been a labor of love.

I made a decision to tackle a marathon. I fell in love with the idea. I then discussed it with my husband. I got his buy in on this crazy idea. Just like I did with having a baby.

Getting to the point of committing to a marathon didn’t come that easy. I had to build a base and it was frustrating at times. Just like getting pregnant didn’t come that easily either.

Once I committed to the idea, the real work began. The training plan was made, revised and then embarked on. There were good days and bad days. Just like pregnancy.

Every week I made it was a victory. Every week got tougher, the challenges bigger. The rewards were sweeter though. Every week that went by was another week closer to survival. Just like those many, many weeks of pregnancy.

Once I got past the 18 mile run mark my chances of finishing a marathon greatly increased. Just like that 27th (or so) week of pregnancy.

I’ve now gotten over the hardest physical part of training. It’s time to taper, recover, reflect and get ready for the big day. This is different from pregnancy… Miles decided to join us 3 weeks earlier than expected. So now, I’m in foreign waters.

I have time to relax, recover and get ready for the big day. Maybe too much time. Too much thinking, doubting, freaking out.

Can I make it 26.2 miles?

Will I run smart the first half so I can survive that second half?

Will I have horrible stomach issues the day of?

Will the weather be complete crap?

Will my knee and IT band revolt on me?

Will the experience on race day be all I’m hoping it will be?

I realize most of these issues are out of my control and stressing over it is worthless. However, I feel like these thoughts are all part of the marathon experience so I’m embracing them and letting my mind mull them over.

What I do know for sure is that I’ve given it all I’ve got and will continue to do so for the next few weeks.

I’ve grown and become a stronger woman that I ever was. Regardless of how race day goes no one can take away the miles I’ve ran, the sweat I’ve poured, the tears I’ve shed, and the laughter I’ve shared.

How do you prepare for a big event in your life?

Don’t forget to enter my RUN hoodie giveaway!!!