The End...For Now - 3.04 miles (24:59)

"Is this the end...?" - Zee Avi

Miles Ran: 521.02 Dollars Raised: $3,662.46

So this is it.. my last post (for this blog) to wrap up my Boston Marathon experience, which I am still trying to fully grasp. I've been finding myself taking a lot of deep exhales over the past week when I think about what I've gone through over the past five months. As if that's the "wow" and "the end" of everything.

This has been the most self-reflective time of my life--and a lot of it had to do with sitting down and dissecting my runs and my days and my mental health before I went to bed with this blog. I've talked a lot about how many people and many things and activities effected my journey, but this creative outlet has been such a tool in itself. Why does it feel like I'm losing a friend when I think about putting a hold on my blogging? This entity that let me vent and talk about every little boring running issue and challenge that any normal person either wouldn't understand or care to understand. At least, that's what I think.

It would absolutely amaze me when friends or family would bring up something in conversation that I had talked about on my blog, which I didn't know they were following, and I would think, "how did she know that"?! It was an amazing way for people to stay connected with me, my training, and my thoughts, no matter what the distance was between us. I guess when I wrote, even though I slightly edited some unnecessary things and cared about whether spelling and grammar was decent, I was writing for me, without the thought that anyone else would care. So I have become in awe when I realized that people DID care enough to keep up to date with how I was doing.

Today, after a week of rest, I went for my first 3 mile run--which was incredible. At first my body and my joints felt like they were saying, "what are you doing to me"!?! But then I got into a groove where I was keeping up an average of just over an 8:00 pace. I honestly thought I'd be jogging very slowly in pain! It felt SO good to be back on the pavement again, back in my element. Though my body definitely needed the rest, I was feeling so anxious and lazy to get back to what makes me so happy. Not to mention that I turned into an absolute vacuum this past week--consuming anything and everything unhealthy I could get my hands on just because I had been depriving myself of it for the past few weeks.

In other good news, I'm happy and excited to say that I just signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon!! Katharine and I will be running for Team Semper Fi Fund, where we only have to raise $300 to participate--which we plan to raise with one fundraiser sometime this summer. Tomorrow we're going to sit down to talk about logistics. I asked Rick for his opinion of the race and he said it was actually his second marathon as well, and that it's the most well-organized marathon he's ever participated in. My other girlfriend Kim has run it three times already and said, besides Boston, it's her favorite race! I'm excited to go visit another city I've been dying to get to recently for such a great reason. And it's on Halloween! I'm sure there will be tons of people dressed in costume--but I think I'll pass on that this time around. But anyway, I'm very happy that the Boston Marathon has not made me hate or want to give up running, but made me love it and the feeling of challenging myself and accomplishing something great (especially for a cause) even more. I would love to qualify for Boston someday, but until then am completely content with experiencing other marathons around the world--and maybe do Boston for a charity again a couple years down the road. I'm excited to have a summer of races that will be fun and let me work on my speed, rather than the intimidating challenge of a new mileage set in front of me. Now that I have the Boston Marathon under my belt, I can go into my next marathon with a lot more confidence, as well as knowledge of how to train better. I'm sure major distance training in the summer will be a whole new ballgame, as it was in the winter.

Thank you again to everyone who has continued to support me and read this outlet of mine during this entire time. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. As I go on this hiatus of writing, I leave you with a few of the many things I've learned.

Finding something you are passionate about doesn't always just fall into your lap, but when it does, don't let it slip away. Go for it with everything that you have.

There are lots of very good, generous people in this world, and a lot of times they will surprise you when you least expect it, and when you need it most.

Be open-minded to try new approaches and techniques--what do you have to lose?

Determination is a very useful tool. It can take your body to it's limits...and then push it for another 3 miles.

Set realistic goals for yourself that are challenging, but attainable with effort and discipline.

Read: Running has so much to do with the mind--opening up Eat, Pray, Love and Born to Run really enhanced my running mentality.

Write: Forcing yourself to put thoughts into organized words makes you understand and appreciate what you just did.

Running is a great way to make amazing friends :) You can learn a lot about someone on 2-hr runs, and then get to celebrate when you both accomplish something together.

Listen to your body.

Smile when you run, even when you reallyyyy don't want to.

Nothing is impossible.