So bringing it...

It's 3 am and why am I not asleep? Because my body hurts. A lot. It hurt earlier, and I took a nap, and now sleep is so not happening.

Why is my body in pain you ask? BECAUSE I RAN 20 FREAKING MILES!!!!

20 MILES!!!!

AHHH!!!! ROCCKKKKK!!!!!!!

And my pace has improved (thanks to my new switch easy I can track my runs on my iPod again, hurrah!)! All is well!

To be honest I really am not as sore as I thought I would be. I was more sore on my last big run (15 miles) than this one. I feel this is a good sign, right?

So I do my big runs on Monday because I work Sunday and don't want to run Saturday and not be able to move Sunday morning. So there I was Monday, in my stupid looking fanny pack gagging on GU packets and shuffling along. I even got lost in a harbor! Go figure, I actually try to follow the assigned running trail for the marathon training course, and I end up next to a porta potty in the middle of a harbor. But running along the lake gave me a great view, so that was a nice way to pass the 6 hours or so I spent outside. I did the 20 miles a bit over 5 hours, so it still looks like I'll be finishing the marathon on the sidewalk, (the Chicago marathon course cut off time is 6.5 hours, lame) but all I really care about is finishing it, ya know? I'll worry about medals later in my competitive running career.

Yes, I said competitive running career. I've decided to stick with running post marathon. Me and my Dad are already planning on running the Indy 500 half marathon this next May (you get to run on the Indy 500 track, neato!), and I'm already talking about pacing myself over the next year in order to finish under the 6.5 hour mark and get a medal next year in Chicago.

I've officially gone off the deep end, right? I was talking on the phone while I ran, was smiling during my 19th mile, hell I'm even jogging now! My average pace for my 20 mile run was in the 16:20's! Dare I say i enjoyed it?

Yup. I sure did. When I was done I had a flood of emotions. I was tired, my body was numb, I needed to pee and needed protein (the two main P's in my life right now), but I was crying on the phone to my Mom because I was so freaking proud of myself. Never in a million years would I have thought I could do something like this. Most runners don't even attempt to run marathons because they don't think they'll be able to do it. And here I am, trucking along, doing something that 6 months ago would have seemed like a ridiculous suggestion in my then state of health.

Did I mention I also stepped on the scale yesterday? It said 273. When I started this whole crazy thing I weighed around 295. Do the math and that means I've lost 22 lbs!!! Since late May! And the best part is knowing that since muscle weighs more than fat, and I now have pretty bitching leg muscles, that my body is in even better shape! I'm starting to notice things too, like I can run up stairs, that my body shape is changing, and my second chin I've talked about a few times? It's pretty much all gone. Booyah second chin, take that.

So despite the Debbie downer attitude I had last week, all I needed was some tough self love, I little heart to heart with a few friends, and 20 miles to make me realize just how far I've come and just how awesome I am.

Taper time begins now. I run 5 miles today. The best part is when you see 5 miles and your like, "wow, that's all I have to run?"

Marathon in 18 days! Let's get ready to rumble...